Home Depot Fires Men Who Stopped Thieves

[TexKan]

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. -- A former Home Depot employee said the company fired him and three other workers because they helped police catch several suspected shoplifters in May.


Midwest City Police said the men helped officers catch suspected shoplifters as they tried to run from a store with lawn equipment.

An internal memo from Home Depot outlines that associates cannot accuse, detain, chase or call the police on any customer for shoplifting. However, one of the fired employees said the company is selective in enforcing that policy.

"The loss-prevention guy at our Shields (Boulevard) store turned around and told me all we need to do is tell the shoplifter to have a good day as they leave the store. I said that just doesn't make sense," former employee Bob Stewart said.

Stewart said what really doesn't make sense is a termination letter Home Depot gave him and three other employees after they helped police catch the shoplifters.

"We saw them with the merchandise. We saw them run out of the store. I never kept my eyes off of them," Stewart said. "Then when we asked them for a receipt, and that's when they dropped the merchandise and they kept running. One guy still had a chainsaw while he was running, and that's when the cops tackled him."

The letter said Stewart and the others were fired because they "pursued and assisted in the apprehension of suspected shoplifters."

Stewart said all he did was call police, something he's done before. Less than eight months ago, he said that he received a letter -- a commendation letter -- for helping police catch a thief trying to steal $2,500 worth of wire.

On the top of the letter, written in bold letters was "Great job, Bob."

Home Depot officials said in an e-mail to Oklahoma City TV station KOCO that they have "standard operating procedures in place for situations like this," and that "from time to time, we find inconsistent execution in our stores."

However, they added that they do not discuss personnel matters and will not comment on this specific case.

Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said he won't comment on the store policy, but said they would probably not have caught the suspects or recovered the property or the stolen car they drove if it had not been for the help of these four employees.

Clabes said he is considering giving the four men letters of appreciation for helping catch the suspects.

Home Depot Fires Men Who Stopped Thieves - Money News Story - KPRC Houston

I see the point but I don't see the point................. Maybe the manger should be the worker and worker be the manger for a while. Every thief is your next pay raise. Besides that they were driving a stolen car to do the theft.............. what a mess!! So I guess if ya need anything from Home Depot.................. head to Oklahoma!!!

[jeezeweeze]

My daughter worked at Walgreens , HHI SC... she caught a guy stealing CD's
and ran after him ...He dropped his cache in parking lot...

The Manager reprimanded her... thoroughly... said his store policy was to just let them go...cause it wasn't worth what could happen if the guy had a weapon...

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by jeezeweeze

My daughter worked at Walgreens , HHI SC... she caught a guy stealing CD's
and ran after him ...He dropped his cache in parking lot...

The Manager reprimanded her... thoroughly... said his store policy was to just let them go...cause it wasn't worth what could happen if the guy had a weapon...

Very good point Jeeze. No matter what they are stealing it's not worth a life. If someone chases the thief and gets hurt on company time then you have a lawsuit.

[TexKan]

They shoulda thought about that when they sent him the memo of "good job bob" months ago when he thwarted other thieves. Maybe a place gets hit and stollen from repeatedly cause they know no one is gonna say or do anything. Often the prices there go up cause of the loss factor.

It is a real delima but obviously they didn't follow thier own policy from the get go and some attorney probably decided it's better to let criminals over run the store than to do the right thing. The right thing could be either way.............. and has been it seems.

[JohnWayne]

Sounds to me like open shoplifting is available at Home Depot. All I need is a copy of that internal memo, then I will present it to the cashier on the way out of the store with a cart full of free goodies----"You can't touch me, ha ha!"

The Duke

[Army_of_One]

Originally Posted by JohnWayne

Sounds to me like open shoplifting is available at Home Depot. All I need is a copy of that internal memo, then I will present it to the cashier on the way out of the store with a cart full of free goodies----"You can't touch me, ha ha!"

The Duke

It's not like THAT i'm sure. I will bet MOST stores have the same policy not just home depot. Ask. A lot of stores have camera's and such. True the prices may go up in the long run yadda yadda yadda but again is it worth someone's life stopping someone taking a board or a pair of jeans or a watch. I would say NO 10 times out of 10. I would prefer the employee get a good description of the person, maybe get the plate number of the vehicle and leave the rest up to the ones that are trained for that...which is better than employee A's head blown all over the store for trying to be a hero..

[TexKan]

Apparently Home Depots policy is - they can't call the cops either............


PS - it's in the article................... this isn't about "routine" policy - that's in the article too......................

[WizardofOz]

They shoulda thought about that when they sent him the memo of "good job bob" months ago when he thwarted other thieves. Maybe a place gets hit and stollen from repeatedly cause they know no one is gonna say or do anything. Often the prices there go up cause of the loss factor.

I agree. Interesting how thieves steal from businesses...then the businesses turn around and steal from consumers by jacking up the prices. I don't think store personnel should risk their lives for a lawn mower but I wonder if the losses to these huge retaliers could justify the salaries of armed security?

[Highwayman]

At the bottom of it all I’m sure it boils down to the liabilities of the company if anyone gets hurt. If an employee is hurt it’s an on the job injury with medical and paid leave. If the thief gets hurt on company property the company is liable for that too. If a death occurs the price goes up.

The company could also be liable for the actions of an armed guard.

I don’t like it but that’s the way it is.

[ksgrainman]

kill the sob's, get it over with.