Violent confrontation erupts at Woolworths supermarket where man allegedly harassed woman and her children

Frustration with rampant crime has boiled over in a country supermarket where locals have taken the law into their own hands.

A man accused of harassing a woman and her children quickly found himself on the receiving end of vigilante justice at the checkout of a Woolworths in Kyabram, in north central Victoria.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Vigilante justice erupts in Kyabram Woolworths

One child was filmed climbing over the till to escape the chaos, while another was rushed to safety by a bystander.

A witness told 7NEWS the man on the receiving end was allegedly harassing a woman and her children when, at 7pm on Sunday, one local took matters into his own hands.

Local business owner Miles Gould said the situation was “extremely sad to see”.

“I can’t speak to their motives or whatever, but it’s not fair for community members, families, businesses,” he told 7NEWS.

The incident comes just 10 days after the same 44-year-old was tasered and arrested over an alleged assault on another shop attendant and a police officer.

He was charged and released on bail.

“For a while there, us in the country thought we were a little bit immune from it. Well, we’re not,” Gould said.

Woolworths has urged the government to pass legislation that will increase penalties for people who commit violence in workplaces.

It is a problem that’s frustrating local residents and local police.

“My discussions tell me that, yes, they are very frustrated, as they should be,” Gould said.

“Legislation just doesn’t allow them to act in a way that most people would consider reasonable.”

Opposition MP Jess Wilson said “I think this is just the unfortunate consequence of Labor’s weak laws when it comes to crime”.

Labor says Victoria’s bail laws are the toughest in the nation.

Both men involved in Sunday night’s affray have been charged and bailed.