Watergardens shopping centre, Melbourne: Man with knife causes chaos at busy mall

A man has been arrested after allegedly stealing a knife from a grocery store and waving it at customers at a busy Melbourne mall just before lunchtime today.

The incident unfolded at Watergardens Shopping Centre, in northwest Melbourne at about 12.50pm.

A witness said a 'hero' barber tackled and held down the man with a knife. 

In a text exchange shared on social media Doug McArthur said his wife saw the barber's heroic act.

'Thank God they held him down,' Mr McArthur said. 

Another witness said: 'There was a lot of yelling, looked like chairs were being thrown and other shoppers were saying a knife was involved. 

'Woolworths locked down immediately as did the surrounding shops. After roughly 10 minutes a screen was put up around where the incident happened.'

Another man said his friend witnessed the scenes unfold.

'People started screaming that someone has a knife, which caused panic and people bolted into shops begging them to close the doors and others ran to the exits into the car park,' he said.

'He said the thing that stuck with him was seeing mums with prams screaming/crying and parents grabbing little kids and running for the exits.

'People that fled to the car park were tapping on people's windows on their cars and telling them to not go inside, to just leave.'

It was reported the man with the knife fled the shopping centre and went on the Melton Highway. 

The arrested man, 30, is assisting police with their inquires.

Police said no one was injured during the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.