Two serious knife incidents just hours apart have heightened concerns about weapons in Ballina, days after police carried out a major crackdown at local shopping centres.

A 22-year-old Ballina man was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition after being attacked with a machete in River Street about 8pm last night.

Earlier, police were called to Ballina Central after a man allegedly threatened a shopper with a large knife outside Coles.

According to reports, the 43-year-old local shopper was inside Coles about 1.45pm when he noticed a man apparently placing multiple items inside his jacket.

The shopper confronted the man and directed him outside, where the man allegedly produced what was described as a hunting knife about 20cm long and threatened him before fleeing.

Ballina Fair retailers across the road were placed on alert as the incident unfolded.

Ballina Fair manager Shaun Haysom said he came into the centre after being advised of the situation and monitored CCTV while security staff patrolled the Fair.

Mr Haysom said the man was known to Ballina Fair staff but did not enter the centre during Sunday’s incident.

Machete attack hours later

About six hours later, at 7.55pm, emergency services were called to reports of an incident in River Street.

Police said the 22-year-old was approached by two males on an e-bike.

After a brief discussion, the passenger allegedly produced a machete and struck the man on his lower right leg.

Both males fled on the e-bike and were last seen travelling west along Cherry Street.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the man for a laceration to his lower right leg before taking him to Lismore Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Richmond Police District has commenced an investigation.

Police are appealing for anyone with information about the attack, or who may have relevant dashcam or mobile phone footage, to contact Ballina Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The incidents came just days after the Police District Proactive Crime Team conducted a targeted shoplifting and knife-scanning operation at shopping precincts in Ballina, Lismore and Goonellabah.

Across the two-day operation last Wednesday and Thursday, police scanned 57 people for weapons and located four knives, three of which were seized.

Police also detected two drug offences, issued eight Criminal Infringement Notices and two traffic infringement notices.

Shopping centre management issued banning notices to eight people.

Police did not provide a breakdown showing where the four knives or other offences were detected across the three locations.

The operation was conducted alongside shopping centre management and loss-prevention officers from major supermarket retailers.

Richmond Police District said it regularly conducts high-visibility and plain-clothes operations to deter shoplifting, anti-social behaviour and weapon-related offences, with similar operations to continue across the district.

Fair backs crackdown

Ballina Fair manager Shaun Haysom strongly backed last week’s operation and said theft at the centre had fallen significantly following increased security measures.

“Our theft is way down,” Mr Haysom said.

“So retailers’ profit is up and theft is down.”

Mr Haysom said many shops operating under national franchise banners were actually owned by local families.

“Lots of our retailers are actually local mum and dad retailers,” he said.

“Even the ones that fall under a franchise banner are still local, and they’re still mum and dad retailers.”

Security footage taken from Ballina Fair in 2025, which has recently been upgraded to provide even more accurate images to help police identify offenders.

The crackdown follows longstanding concern about retail theft in Ballina.

Shoplifting offences across the shire jumped 45.4 per cent up until the end of last year, making it one of the worst hotspots for retail theft in regional NSW.

Ballina Fair publicly thanked police following last week’s operation, saying the combination of uniformed and covert officers sent a strong message that theft and threatening behaviour would not be tolerated.

“We make zero apology for supporting and facilitating a major operation involving covert Police, uniformed Police and retailer Loss Prevention Officers targeting retail theft and associated anti-social behaviour,” the centre said.

“Our community and our retailers are sick of thieves. We listened, we acted, and we welcome operations like this with open arms.”

Concerns over weapons scans

Much of the reaction to the operation on social media was supportive, but two shoppers complained about the way people were selected for weapons scans.

One woman, who identified herself as Indigenous, said she felt humiliated after being singled out in front of other shoppers.

“Being picked out in front of everyone and searched when you haven’t done anything wrong makes you feel targeted rather than protected,” she wrote.

“Community safety is important, but so is treating people with dignity and respect.”

Another shopper questioned what criteria police used to decide who should be searched.

Mr Haysom said the wanding was random and rejected suggestions people had been targeted because of their background.

He said people working at the centre were also scanned, including a retailer who was not wearing a uniform and therefore appeared to police to be another shopper.

“So that’s how random it was,” he said.

Richmond Police District said police received positive feedback from shopping centre management, local business owners and members of the public following the operation.

Similar operations will continue across the district.