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| -Lurid Crime Tales- |
| Home Depot Fires Men Who Stopped Thieves |
| 2007-06-07 |
| It really is as bad as it sounds, read on: 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. Don't call the police? WTF are they supposed to do? Help the thieves carry the stuff out? 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. I guess lynching from the parking lot light pole is out of the question too. 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. More and more corporate types see the police and authorities in general as enemies of their customer base. Makes you wonder about their customer base. "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." People used to get medals for this kind of stuff. 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. So, some people do still understand that catching crooks is a good thing. Any Rantburgers need a new lawn tractor? Hell, just rent a truck and carry off a dozen of them! If you need help in your looting, you can hire illegals right there in HD's parking lot, too. |
| Posted by:Atomic Conspiracy |
| #17 #15 is essentially what my e-mail to HD said. Remind them the rule is there for their safety, and tell 'em next time they get a week off. But firing? I wonder what Lowe's policy is? Do they make their customers pay for so much stolen stuff? But mostly, I blame the media. |
| Posted by: Bobby 2007-06-07 17:31 |
| #16 #15 - I agree. I can understand a policy that says employees should not attack customers they think are shoplifiting - somebody (employee or customer) could get hurt. I cannot understand a policy that prevents employees from noting the shoplifter, including license plate number, description, etc. and then calling police. The police should handle any arrest, but employees should also be able to gather information and give it to the police. |
| Posted by: Rambler 2007-06-07 15:50 |
| #15 I can see where it is coming from, but no gun was involved and they caught the employees without incident. Why not just quietly repremand the employees? I'm angered that he was told that he could not even call the police. No wonder their prices are so high. I'm off to |
| Posted by: Angaiger Tojo1904 2007-06-07 15:01 |
| #14 On the flip side of this: many chain convenience stores have company policies that tell employees to cooperate with a robber who demands money. Money can be replaced, lives cannot. Though it may grate on us law-abiding citizens, when a young store clerk is looking down the barrel of a 9 mm, it's better to do as told. I suspect (don't know for sure) the Home Depot policy was made along these lines -- let the cops handle it, don't create a situation in which an employee or another innocent customer could be harmed. The lawn tractor can be replaced, lives cannot. Again, the policy grates on our sensibilities, as we don't want and don't like to reward law-breaking behavior. But I think I see where this is coming from. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2007-06-07 14:46 |
| #13 Silentbrick, I didn't know you lived in Tennessee. Come on over this weekend. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2007-06-07 12:18 |
| #12 You know, as much maligned as Wal-Mart is, and as many issues as they have with morons as management, they don't have this policy. They are very much for catching shoplifters and encourage all their employees to watch for them. Legal issues means stops are typically made by the Loss Prevention Associates, however, there are times... I personally saw what happened one summer when I was working there and a shoplifter decided to go out the lawn and garden gate at a run. He made the mistake of shoving the door girl out of his way, in full view of the associates outside who were loading up bags of mulch and other garden items. I think he realized his mistake when two of the burly high school football team members working there for the summer tackled him face down onto concrete. I'm not sure they'd of chased him so hard if he hadn't shoved the girl, but this being Tennessee, most of us don't hold with that kind of behavior. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2007-06-07 11:49 |
| #11 Thanks for the info. Gotta go. Headin for Home Depot. They are giving away free stuff. I need a lawn tractor and new barbecue grill. Wow, what a concept legal stealing! Better than being elected to public office. |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-06-07 11:20 |
| #10 Thanks for the info. Gotta go. Headin for Home Depot. They are giving away free stuff. I need a lawn tractor and new barbecue grill. Wow, what a concept legal stealing! |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2007-06-07 11:20 |
| #9 I know where I'll be doing my Christmas shoplifting. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-06-07 11:02 |
| #8 I think Daddy's getting a NEW BIG BBQ this weekend. Just going to back up my truck, load it up, and head for home. Why didn't I hear about this BEFORE I bought my plasma screen there. Can I give it back and simply steal it? |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2007-06-07 10:55 |
| #7 Hell, given this information, why NOT steal at Home Depot? If someone tries to stop you, you can always threaten him with his job. |
| Posted by: Uluting Speaking for Boskone9541 2007-06-07 10:01 |
| #6 Does this mean I can sue for profiling if they attempt to stop me from just walking out of the store with that nice lawn tractor I was looking at? Cool! Free stuff! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2007-06-07 08:11 |
| #5 The company figures it'll cost less in the long run to simply pass the loss on to customers than face lawsuits run by the usual suspects to cover 'pain and suffering' on either party's behalf. What the company ignores in its rationalization is that by doing nothing it will encourage even more criminal activity with escalating consequences. Purse snatching, carjacking, armed robbery [with big juicy targets carrying cash, you know them "less than legal supervisors", to pick up site supplies]. This usually results in making the location someplace most reasonable people will in the end avoid. Welcome to the hood. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2007-06-07 08:02 |
| #4 Their embedded survey on the firings shows 2% agree with them. Either there are only 2% criminals in Midwest City or else only a fraction take internet polls. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2007-06-07 07:45 |
| #3 My wife was told by one of their employees that they are specifically told not to intervene due to an employee getting shot in Florida. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2007-06-07 07:03 |
| #2 I am sure there are some lawyers out there who are just licking their chops contemplating the wrongful termination of employment lawsuit they could bring for this. |
| Posted by: Vortigern Snolutch7163 2007-06-07 04:22 |
| #1 The letter said Stewart and the others were fired because they "pursued and assisted in the apprehension of suspected shoplifters." I'd use that termination letter as a point of pride in my resume when looking for a new job. Orchard Supply Hardware or Lowe's must surely be looking for some good people. Here's Home Depot's Custome Care phone line: 1-800-553-3199 Here's their "contact us" directory. Also try customercare@homedepot.com or by phone at 1-800-430-3376. Here's their internal email link if you don't want to use your own. Here is the text of the email I am sending them. Feel free to use it if you like. To Home Depot Corporate Headquarters: This email regards your termination of Bob Stewart and other employees who intervened in an attempted shoplifting. (Refer to this article: http://www.local6.com/money/13452152/detail.html ) Their actions were intended to protect my personal safety by discouraging the presence of criminal elements when I am in your store. By punishing Mr. Stewart and his colleagues, your policies and actions not only increase the cost of goods I purchase at Home depot by inadequate prosecution of shoplifting, but also show lax security which increases the likelihood that my car will be broken into while parked in your store's lot. Please rest assured that I will NEVER shop at a Home Depot EVER again unless you immediately reinstate these employees with compensation for time lost. Providing price reductions and superior quality goods will not alter this decision one whit. You have shown sufficient disrespect for law enforcement and employee vigilance whereby I will never feel safe in one of your stores anymore. If you choose to reverse your termination of these valiant employees, be sure to publicize it widely. Otherwise I might not see the announcement. Until I hear of a reversal, consider me a CUSTOMER THAT HAS BEEN LOST FOREVER. Sincerely, Zenster |
| Posted by: Zenster 2007-06-07 02:48 |