The two girls visited Get Polished Waratah, in Newcastle, NSW, about 2.30pm on Sunday where they wracked up a $140 bill on two full sets of acrylic nails, before allegedly refusing to pay.

“When they finished they said there was no internet in my shop [to pay] and they tried to escape,” the store’s Vietnamese owner, Lee, told news.com.au.

When a male staff member caught up with the girls in the car park, Lee claimed they physically assaulted him and made racist remarks.

“They kicked him in the stomach and slapped him in the face. They were being rude saying ‘go back to your own country’,” she said. “He was very upset.”

In a post on Facebook, the store wrote the two girls “provoked and dared our employee to fight back and said that they were underage”.

A video also shared online shows one of the girls swearing at staff in the car park before riding off on her scooter.

“Try and catch me on this you f****n dopey c***,” she is heard screaming.

“That’s what I thought mother f*****.”

Shortly after, the male staff member, who is yet to return to work, reported the incident to local Waratah police.

However, Lee doesn’t see any point in pressing charges. He claims similar incidents — where teenagers have run away without paying — have occurred before and police did “nothing”.

“I’m angry because it’s happened a lot. Teenagers know their power and they can get away with everything,” she said.

“Pressing charges is not going to affect them at all. I know that because there was exactly the same incident with my staff [in another store]. They ran away and my staff caught them and they still got away.”

Instead, the store is calling for a simple apology for the “awful” and unacceptable” behaviour, which has left staff in a state of “shock”.

“We are a small family business trying to earn a living and would like to alert the community and other small businesses so that this does not happen to them,” they wrote on Facebook.

“Hope these girls can see this post and stop this action to anyone. For us, it is not about the money, but we need you coming back to apologise for what happened today [sic].”

Members of the public have commented on the post, calling out the “shameful” behaviour.

“This kind of action is unacceptable, scornful, disrespect[ful] and such an embarrassment,” one person commented.

“They are just plain awful and they and their parents should be ashamed,” said another.

NSW Police confirmed “the fail-to-pay and assault” has been reported to Waratah Police Station, in a statement to news.com.au.

Newcastle City Police have also released a description of two girls who police say may be able to assist investigators.

“The first woman is described as being of caucasian appearance with blonde hair. She was last seen wearing a black ‘Champion’ hoodie, with grey track pants, and black and white ‘slides’,” the statement read.

“The second woman is described as being of caucasian appearance with dark brown hair. She was last seen wearing a grey ‘Ellesse’ jumper, with dark pants and white ‘Onitsuka Tiger’ sneakers.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.