A team of cops arrived to a 999 call on a bus on Saturday because it was the quickest way to get there.
The police officers responded by public transport to a call from Greggs the bakers in Morden after an attack on members of staff, just as the attacker made her escape on another bus.
The incident at the store in London Road occurred at about 11am when an elderly woman assaulted and allegedly racially abused a member of staff.
One worker was left with a cut to her face while others sustained minor injuries.
The woman, believed to be in her 60s, was asked to leave the store but became aggressive and hit out at the bakery workers.
Diana Homewood, 53, store manager, said: “She really got abusive and called my Saturday girl something I wouldn’t like to repeat so we banned her from the store.
“She poked my colleague in the face and smacked me in mine.
“We called 999 and while we were waiting she walked off and got on a bus.”
She added: “Within minutes police had arrived but we were shocked when we saw them getting off a bus - I mean I know funding is tight but that is ridiculous, I couldn’t stop laughing.”
A spokesman for the Met Police confirmed a woman in her 60s was being sought by officers in connection with the attack.
He said: “We can confirm there was a 999 call made on Saturday, October 24 regarding an assault at Greggs bakery in London Road, Morden.
“A team of officers were dispatched and it may well be that they used public transport to get there or may have already been on the bus.
"If this was the quickest way to get to the scene of course they would have used it.
“CCTV was recovered from the store and an officer is now investigating the alleged assault.”
A spokesman for Greggs said the company would not tolerate any form of abuse towards its staff.
He said police were called when the verbal abuse was followed by a physical attack on a number of employees.
He added: “The customer is known to us and the matter continues to be investigated by the police.”
He said staff at the shop had been shocked by the incident and the company had offered counselling support.
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