Shocking security video out of Northern California shows a serial shoplifter lighting a store clerk’s hair on fire with stolen lighter fluid after he tried to stop the suspect from stealing.

The Bay Area store clerk at Appian Food and Liquor in El Sobrante, Contra Costa County, is only identified as Suraj since he declined to reveal his last name out of fear of being targeted again. In the horrifying footage, he is seen tussling with a suspect identified as 38-year-old Kendall Burton.

On Sept. 22, Suraj’s head was doused in lighter fluid by Burton at the business, about 20 miles southwest of downtown San Francisco, according to a video obtained by KPIX News.

[It’s a terrible attack, and Suraj will need several surgeries. Burton has been a problem in the area for a while, but apparently police and the local government hadn’t addressed the situation until now. Click over if you want to see the video … I didn’t. — Ed]