Australian 5-year-old knocked unconscious by thief fleeing shopping mall

Australian 5-year-old knocked unconscious by thief fleeing shopping mall
Photo credit: 9News

A 5-year-old boy was knocked unconscious at an Australian shopping centre by a man fleeing a store after stealing a phone.

New South Wales police confirmed a 30-year-old man had been trying to buy a mobile phone at  Lidcombe Shopping Centre in Sydney's west on Sunday afternoon.

"When the store attendant was unable to process the purchase due to the transaction being declined, the man ran from the store with the phone," a spokesperson said.

Footage of the incident, obtained by 9 News, shows the man running from a Vodafone store and colliding with the young boy, knocking him out.

Other customers and Vodafone employee Jonathan Lee chased after the man and were able to hold him until police arrived.

"[I] tackled him down there and a few passers-by were helpful enough to help me grab him down," Lee told 9 News. "I took the phone back and I called the police straight away."

Police confirmed the boy was treated by paramedics and taken to a local hospital.

The man was arrested and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, stealing, dishonestly obtaining property by deception and two counts of goods in custody.

He was refused bail after appearing in court on Monday.