A tradie was left stunned during after he discovered a commonly used gardening tool locked up behind glass doors at his local Bunnings.
Business owner Shane visited the hardware retailer in Caloundra, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast on the weekend to buy a garden hoe.
The mechanic, who runs Procheck Automotive, later posted a TikTok video from inside the showing dozens of the tool stacked behind a perspex screen.
‘They’re all locked up and we need to talk to the customer service team about getting one,’ Shane explained in the video.
‘So I went to the customer service member and he comes and tells us he can’t give us one of those [garden hoes] without taking what we want to the counter when we go there.’
After getting assistance from staff, Shane was told by the employee that they needed to take the gardening tool to the checkout and that he couldn’t hold it until after the purchase was made.
‘I thought it was a bit bizarre. I’ve never seen that before,’ he said.
Shane was confused by the new security measures when more dangerous products such as shears and saws are more easily accessible.
The local business owner filmed a video inside the store to show dozens of garden hoes stacked behind a glass screen (pictured)
‘If you want to do some forking, you can buy some forks … that’s no dramas. If you want to buy some big shears … you can buy a plethora of shears,’ he said.
Shane acknowledged the state’s new knife laws are a ‘serious thing’ and ‘wasn’t trying to take the p**s.
‘Going to Bunnings to buy a pick and you can’t because of the knife laws, but you can buy a saw and you can buy shears … weird,’ he said.
The clip also showed the notice on the glass screen, which read ‘the sale of knives and other controlled items to minors is prohibited’.
Another sign, which had been placed below read, ‘Dear customer, please see a team member to access these products’.
Bunnings operations Marg Walford said the retail giant worked closely with the community to ensure customers’ needs are met while protecting the safety of shoppers and staff.
‘We worked to become fully compliant with the new laws around knives and other bladed items which came into effect on September 1 this year, Ms Walford told Yahoo.
Shane acknowledged the knife laws are a ‘serious thing’ but pointed out that there are other tools sold in the store that are more dangerous (pictured Bunnings store)
‘Our stores will continue to require customers to prove they are at least 18 years old before they can purchase bladed items, in line with our existing policy.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Bunnings for further comment.
The new laws came into effect in Queensland on September 1, banning the sale of knives to anyone under the age of 18.
The legislation requires retailers to store items such as double-edged knives, machetes, tomahawks and axes securely.
Businesses must also display clear signage when an age restricted item is sold in-store.
The Queensland government’s new laws came into effect on September 1, banning the sale of knives to anyone under the age of 18 (pictured Bunnings Caloundra)
Retailers caught breaching the laws will be hit with a whopping $67,746 fine.
Under the new laws, police can use handheld metal detectors in several places including retail centres, sporting and entertainment venues and public transport to prevent knife crime.
The rules are an expansion of Jack’s Law, which was passed by the Queensland government in 2023.
The legislation was introduced following the death of teen Jack Beasley, who was fatally stabbed on the Gold Coast during a night out in 2019.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk