Store employee fired for stopping shoplifter

[Drac]

You can write policies and train people to detain a shoplifter, while minimizing risk to both associates and suspects, and without making your store security staff a bunch of cop-wannabes.

Well said jks....I lost a teaching gig for a large chains in store security because they wanted verbal judo Sensei or Tounge-Fu Master..I tried to explain that all the verbal skills in the world aint gonna stop the local crack head from hurting a customer or employee while your security staff tried to talk him out of his illeagal activity...

 

[Ray]

But I'm not really suggesting that stores should apprehend and prosecute shoplifters. I've got multiple, admittedly anectdotal, incidents where a store's known, aggressive, and effective policy of 100% prosecution of shoplifters when caught (including letting loss prevention associates chase and use some force to detain) deterred people from stealing there.

It's twue, it's twue -- I lived one of the anectdotal stories.

 

[grydth]

The intent of the store's policy does make some sense on its face, especially when we are dealing with untrained counter guys/deli folks/cashiers. It prevents lawsuits for inappropriate or exxtreme use of force, it avoids costly Workers Comp cases and it tells employees that you aren't expected to die for a $2 package of chicken legs.

But any policy applied robotically - "zero tolerance" - is bound to produce unjust results.

Did anybody ever tell management that a "customer" is someone who is there to shop in the store and pay for the goods? Robbers, thieves, shoplifters.... are not "customers". That failure to properly define gives the employee's lawyer at least a shot at winning.

The other problem is that the manager himself violated the policy, and he put the employee in an impossible position. Either get fired for disobeying the manager or get fired for violating company policy. I didn't see the store manager being fired - which, again, I'd expect this guy's lawyer to bring up.

I appreciate some of you have no love for lawyers - but without one this man is unemployed and at the mercy of some boob from Personnel (Clint Eastwood had the best line about Personnel in a Dirty Harry flick). I'd reserve my venom for: the shoplifter, the manager and the Personnel hack.

 

[Cryozombie]

The other problem is that the manager himself violated the policy, and he put the employee in an impossible position. Either get fired for disobeying the manager or get fired for violating company policy. I didn't see the store manager being fired - which, again, I'd expect this guy's lawyer to bring up.

Yeah I was in retail Management for years... and lemme tell you you're damned if you do, and damned if you don't. If he had let the shoplifter go, he would have been fired for excessive shrinkage after their inventory, and if he stopped the guy, hed be fired for touching the customer.

So whats option C?

 

[MJS]

In the State that I once worked as a "loss prevention" employee, getting the merchandise back was not the end of the "job." We were legally empowered to detain the shoplifter [to me they were "shoplifters" -- to those who didn't witness the event(s) they were alleged shoplifters], and required to hold them until the police arrived.

We were to use reasonable means to hold them. If they ran, we could tackle, apply holds and drag them to the office. If they fought, we could fight back. etc.

Several "regular" employees were available if I ever needed back-up. Although I probably should have availed myself of their help, the adreniline rush just made me loose sight of everything but the "bad guy."

Most of the large retail and even some grocery stores where I am has security. I don't know what the full policy is as far as what they can/can't do, but I do know that they're apparently able to chase, restrain, etc.

 

[MJS]

I've heard similar stories in the past, once from a bouncer who was fired because he physically removed a troublemaker from a bar and the owner was afraid of repercussions and once from a security guard who was fired for physically restraining someone who walked passed the security counter without signing in. Makes me wonder why anyone would step up to stop criminal activity unless they were LEO's, and even then they have to worry about lawsuits.

Makes one wonder why this place even has bouncers. If you can't physically get involved, no sense in having them there. Just call the police if theres a problem.

 

[MJS]

The thing is that it doesn't take but a couple of lawsuits (even successfully defending a lawsuit when you did nothing wrong isn't cheap...) to do at least as much damage as shoplifters. And internal losses (both theft and error) often exceed external theft.

But I'm not really suggesting that stores should apprehend and prosecute shoplifters. I've got multiple, admittedly anectdotal, incidents where a store's known, aggressive, and effective policy of 100% prosecution of shoplifters when caught (including letting loss prevention associates chase and use some force to detain) deterred people from stealing there. You can write policies and train people to detain a shoplifter, while minimizing risk to both associates and suspects, and without making your store security staff a bunch of cop-wannabes.

Great points all around, but especially the bold part. I think that is the most important thing to have. Some solid training from a reputable source and a policy in place. Otherwise you could end up with just that...a bunch of wannabes.