A family of rats have been spotted under a Christmas tree in a busy shopping centre in Sydney, leaving onlookers ‘disgusted’.
Local comedian Matt Hey filmed the stomach-churning moment at David Jones on Castlereagh Street in the CBD, while shopping with friends.
The group initially ventured out to see the shopping centre’s ’12 Dogs of Christmas’ animatronic window display, but were distracted by the live rodents deeper inside the building.
‘Not the display we were expecting,’ Hey wrote in the video’s caption which was posted online.
Local comedian Matt Hey filmed the stomach-churning moment at David Jones on Castlereagh Street in the CBD, while shopping with friends
Hey and his friends were peering down at a Christmas tree in the middle of the food court before one noticed a rat bolt across the floor.
‘Oh no, the whole family’s out to play,’ he said as another rat ran out.
‘Wow, David Jones has really stepped up their window displays this year haven’t they?’
One eagle-eyed shopper noticed that a rat was carrying something in its mouth which Hey was quick to recognise as a chocolate Lindt ball, stolen from a nearby display.
The comedian then parodied a line from the classic Christmas poem, A Visit from St Nicholas, noting that it ‘turns out a creature was stirring and it was a mouse’.
Commenters on the video were quick to share their disgust with the footage, and some claimed that they would never return to David Jones again.
‘That’s it I’m switching to Myer,’ one woman said.
‘Oh my God, I am never picking a Lindt ball out from there again,’ a second added.
Mr Hey posted the video online which caused several commenters to vow they’d never return to the shopping centre
Comedian Matt Hey (pictured) said: ‘Not the display we were expecting’
A spokesperson from David Jones said that the retailer had routine measures in place to prevent rat infestations
Other users noted how rats in the city were not a rare sight at night.
‘It’s basically every building in the cbd after dark,’ one person wrote.
‘There are mice and rats everywhere, watch out they are probably in your house,’ a second said.
A spokesperson from David Jones told Yahoo that the department store has regular pest management and control processes in place and that it has increased measures to ensure a clean and safe environment.
Daily Mail has contacted David Jones for comment.