Moment Asda security guard grapples with 'shoplifter' before she runs down street dropping a trail of groceries

An Asda security guard was forced to grapple with a suspected shoplifter before chasing her down the street, leaving behind a trail of groceries. 

The supermarket employee was seen getting into a hilarious tussle with a woman after she supposedly stole a number of items from the Asda superstore in Barking, east London, on Saturday.

A 49 second clip shared on social media shows the security guard trying to prevent the woman leaving with a bag for life as the pair engage in an aggressive tug of war.

In another blunder, the bag then rips, causing some items to fall on the floor while the woman tries to make off with the rest of her shopping. 

Passersby can be seen watching on in amazement as the chaotic scenes continue, before the security guard eventually gives up and the woman disappears round a corner with some of the groceries intact. 

The hilarious clip begins with the security guard trying to prevent the woman leaving the Asda superstore by holding onto her bag for life. 

She can be heard screaming 'Get off my bag! You can't take my bag!', before claiming the items were not taken from the store. 

The guard and the woman then walk down the street shouting as he tries to retrieve the shopping and she tries to make a swift exit.

She adds: 'It's not from there bruv!'

Pieces of the bag and other tins can be seen littering the pavement behind her as she attempts to get away from the man. 

The security guard launches a last ditch attempt to grab the bag, which then rips in his hands.  

He eventually gives up as the woman disappears round a corner with some of the items in her hands.

The footage was posted to X on Sunday, with people in the comments very quick to make jokes about the hilarious confrontation. 

One user said: 'Just let her try to run away. She'll get tired in 30 secs then you've got her,' to which one replied: '30 seconds? That's optimistic.'

Another said the situation was serious, adding: 'Something needs to give tho.These petty robbery getting outta hand.'

Others said they were shocked no-one tried to help.

And one compared the woman to Waynetta Slob, from Harry Enfield's Television Programme, saying: 'Waynetta Slob just popping to Asda to get Wayne some cans £watchalookingat.' Another simply said: 'Big up the security guard.'

MailOnline has contacted the Met Police for comment. 

It comes as a new report has revealed that one in three staff at Asda have been attacked on the job including being stabbed and punched. 

Some 58 per cent of the 1,000 surveyed by the union GMB said they had suffered illness or injury while at work.

Respondents described shocking incidents of being spat at, being chased by people in cars and having food, including joints of gammon and watermelons, thrown at them.

A whopping 35 per cent told the survey they had experienced physical or verbal violence while at work with some reporting stories of suffering broken bones and receiving death threats against them or their children.

Delivery drivers even talked of occasions when they were confronted by naked customers at the door.

Nadine Houghton, a GMB national officer, said the findings were 'horrifying' and that 'no one should have to suffer this kind of abuse and violence at work'.

She added:  'Workers and customers suffer health and safety breaches, fire hazard and hygiene standards plummeting.'

The report is set to be discussed at the union's annual congress in Bournemouth today, The Guardian reports.

The worrying findings come amid a recent increase in violence towards retail staff with a British Retail Consortium report in April finding that incidents of abuse and violence in shopping centres had soared by 65 per cent from 2021-22 to 2022-23.

It was reported in February that that workers across the country endured 1,300 such instances each day while also trying to fight a spate of shoplifting.

Body armour companies have also reported a rise in demand for stab vests from shop staff in the last two years.

In April the government proposed a new standalone criminal offence of assaulting a retail worker to crack down on abusive or serial shoplifters but the measure was scrapped when Parliament was dissolved last month ahead of the General Election.

Following the publication of the report, an Asda spokesman said: 'Unfortunately, like all retailers we have seen an increase and violence and aggression towards our colleagues during the last few years. 

'The safety of our colleagues is a primary concern, which is why we have invested over £30m during the last three years to upgrade the CCTV systems in stores. 

'We have also provided colleagues with body-worn cameras, hired extra security guards in certain stores and amended store opening times when required.

'We work with all of our colleague representatives in the important area of colleague security and also back calls for violence or abuse against retail workers to be made a standalone criminal offence in all parts of the UK and hope this is a priority for any incoming Government.'