Dorset Police is appealing for information following a theft and racially aggravated assault in a convenience store in Poole.
At around 10.20pm on Sunday March 29, a man stole a bottle of wine from Tesco Express on Bournemouth Road. When challenged by staff, he reportedly racially abused them and spat at them before leaving the store.
Officers have released an image of a man they would like to identify in connection with the incident.
Police are urging anyone who recognises him or has information to come forward.
Police Community Support Investigator Adam Cleaver, of Poole police, added: “It is unacceptable for someone to be racially abused and spat at just while doing their job.
“I am issuing an image of a man I would like to identify and would ask anyone who recognises him to please come forward.”
The appeal comes as a separate incident in South Gloucestershire that is being treated as a religiously aggravated assault.
Avon and Somerset Police said the attack took place at around 4.30pm on Sunday (April 19) in a convenience store on Filton Avenue, where two men entered the store and an altercation occurred with the retailer during which the latter's turban was knocked off.
Police said it is treating the incident as religiously aggravated assault.
Neighbourhood Inspector Barny Mabbett described the incident as “appalling” and said it had caused “great distress” to the shopkeeper.
“We are treating this as a religiously aggravated assault. There is no place for hate in communities across Avon and Somerset, and we want to assure residents we take incidents like this incredibly seriously,” he said.
Both cases add to growing concern across the sector about rising abuse and violence faced by convenience store workers.