A father brandished a hatchet in a busy Hamilton store after punching a security officer, Police say.

The officer had been concerned about the welfare of the man?s young son.

Store staff were reportedly threatened in front of customers before the man drove off.

According to Police, the man left the boy ? aged around five or six ? in his car at around 4.30 p.m on Saturday while he went shopping.

?After approximately 25 minutes, the parking lot security officer heard screaming coming from the car and went to check on the boy.

?The security officer looked into the car and saw that the child was crying. He opened the driver?s door and asked the boy about his parents, then took him out of the vehicle and upstairs to the store to find them,? explained spokesman Robin Simmons.

However, when employees of the store found the boy?s father and reunited him with his child, the man is said to have become upset, and got engaged in a verbal confrontation with the staff.

?The man then took the boy back to the parking lot, where he assaulted the security guard by pushing him up against a concrete pillar and punching him in the head, in front of the child,? said Mr. Simmons.

?The suspect and the child got into the suspect?s white Suzuki sports utility vehicle and left the parking area.

?However, before making good his escape the suspect stopped the car outside the MarketPlace, got out of the vehicle, and walked into the store brandishing a hatchet.

?He then threatened the store?s staff in front of customers before driving off.?

The man is described as light brown skinned, of stocky build, with a beard. Police have not given details of his age.

The security officer, a 51-year-old Sandys man, suffered a cut above his right eye. He was treated at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and released.

Police were called to the scene at 4.55 p.m. They are now appealing for witnesses to the incident, particularly shoppers in the store at the time, to contact the Hamilton Criminal Investigation Unit on 295-0011.

A spokesperson for Marketplace was not in a position to give any information on the incident before press time yesterday. No-one from Safeguard International Security ? the employer of the injured man ? was available for comment.