Tackle a shoplifter, get fired.
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Tackle a shoplifter, get fired.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news...44/detail.html
Students Fired By Best Buy After Tackling Shoplifter
Man Pulls Knife, Cuts Store Manager
POSTED: 10:04 am MDT August 18, 2009
BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- Two college students who tackled a shoplifter at a Best Buy in Broomfield have been fired.
Jared Bergstreser, 20, and Colin Trapp, 23, were fired Sunday, two weeks after they tried to stop two men fleeing the store at the FlatIron Marketplace.
When the students saw the men fleeing with armloads of merchandise, Bergstreser tackled one of the men.
"A gentleman came by us in a red shirt with a bunch of product in his hand. It was pretty obvious that he hadn't paid for it yet," Trapp said.
"I just kind of reacted. I wasn't thinking about it and followed the guy out the front door and tackled him," Bergstreser said.
As Bergstreser was struggling with the thief on the ground, Trapp ran over to help.
"We thought we had the situation under control. That's when he pulled a knife and began flailing it around wildly," Trapp said.
The man broke free and cut the store manager, who had come out to try to calm things down.
The two shoplifters escaped in an old light-green Pontiac driven by a woman, according to police. The car had a temporary license.
A police report said the two men got away with computer hard drives and other items. No arrests have been made in the theft, which occurred Aug. 1.
Trapp and Bergstreser said they feel they were wrongfully terminated for their actions on that day.
"It was just completely demoralizing. You think you have in your head what you know is right or wrong, what your parents instilled in you growing up as a child, and then to be reprimanded for that act is so sour and so sad," Trapp said.
"I think I did what I believed was right," Bergstreser said.
Bergstreser, who received minor cuts and bruises, worked at the store for nearly three years. Both students worked in the company's asset protection unit. Bergstreser said he knew making physical contact with a customer was against company policy, to protect the company from lawsuits. Trapp said he was never told about how to handle a fleeing shoplifter.
However, both men stand by what they did.
Still, Bergstreser said he can see why company officials may have been concerned.
"By my doing that, it put other people in danger. Even myself. So I can definitely see why they would have reprimands for that," he said.
The female manager who was cut was not fired.
Calls to Best Buy's corporate media relations department were not returned.
Man Pulls Knife, Cuts Store Manager
POSTED: 10:04 am MDT August 18, 2009
BROOMFIELD, Colo. -- Two college students who tackled a shoplifter at a Best Buy in Broomfield have been fired.
Jared Bergstreser, 20, and Colin Trapp, 23, were fired Sunday, two weeks after they tried to stop two men fleeing the store at the FlatIron Marketplace.
When the students saw the men fleeing with armloads of merchandise, Bergstreser tackled one of the men.
"A gentleman came by us in a red shirt with a bunch of product in his hand. It was pretty obvious that he hadn't paid for it yet," Trapp said.
"I just kind of reacted. I wasn't thinking about it and followed the guy out the front door and tackled him," Bergstreser said.
As Bergstreser was struggling with the thief on the ground, Trapp ran over to help.
"We thought we had the situation under control. That's when he pulled a knife and began flailing it around wildly," Trapp said.
The man broke free and cut the store manager, who had come out to try to calm things down.
The two shoplifters escaped in an old light-green Pontiac driven by a woman, according to police. The car had a temporary license.
A police report said the two men got away with computer hard drives and other items. No arrests have been made in the theft, which occurred Aug. 1.
Trapp and Bergstreser said they feel they were wrongfully terminated for their actions on that day.
"It was just completely demoralizing. You think you have in your head what you know is right or wrong, what your parents instilled in you growing up as a child, and then to be reprimanded for that act is so sour and so sad," Trapp said.
"I think I did what I believed was right," Bergstreser said.
Bergstreser, who received minor cuts and bruises, worked at the store for nearly three years. Both students worked in the company's asset protection unit. Bergstreser said he knew making physical contact with a customer was against company policy, to protect the company from lawsuits. Trapp said he was never told about how to handle a fleeing shoplifter.
However, both men stand by what they did.
Still, Bergstreser said he can see why company officials may have been concerned.
"By my doing that, it put other people in danger. Even myself. So I can definitely see why they would have reprimands for that," he said.
The female manager who was cut was not fired.
Calls to Best Buy's corporate media relations department were not returned.
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From: Anaheim
Originally Posted by kix,Aug 18 2009, 09:00 PM
yea, I worked at BB before but not in Loss Prevention. I remember being told not to pursue a shoplifter under any circumstances.
I don't believe firing should have been resorted to.
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Well the staff were in the wrong. It seems bizare but it's best buy policy. There is no doubt the shoplifters would have been caught on about 10 cameras while in the store, so it's not like the cops won't know about them and they won't get caught.
Just let the cops deal with it. The manager hated the fact he got stabbed because his idiot employees stopped a shoplifter against store policy.
Just let the cops deal with it. The manager hated the fact he got stabbed because his idiot employees stopped a shoplifter against store policy.
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From: New York
So wait a minute....
I can walk into a BestBuy....pick up a 50" screen (I'm a big dude,) waltz out the front door, and it's against company policy to stop me? Without physical contact, what are they supposed to do, ask politely?
I can walk into a BestBuy....pick up a 50" screen (I'm a big dude,) waltz out the front door, and it's against company policy to stop me? Without physical contact, what are they supposed to do, ask politely?
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Best buy has/makes lots lots of "$$$$$$$", best buy itsn't concern bout a few grand being swipe from there retain stores. But they can drop a few loyal workers as longs as it saves them from a huge lawsuit, even if they were thieves and swinging pocket knifes at defenseless employees. Its all business and making tons of $$$$$$$, as longs as the death cauaties remains low.
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I worked at a Marshalls in high school and we were told not to go after someone we thought was shoplifting. You could go up to them and ask them if they need help with anything, but its up to the store management and security to handle the situation. I think it has to do with liability should the shoplifter become violent (like this guy pulling a knife) and the store then being held accountable for any injuries.
They have security there for a reason. Sucks they got fired but I'm assuming at their age they can find another random job.
They have security there for a reason. Sucks they got fired but I'm assuming at their age they can find another random job.
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From: Irvine/Orange
Originally Posted by C U AT 9K,Aug 18 2009, 08:55 PM
I worked at a Marshalls in high school and we were told not to go after someone we thought was shoplifting. You could go up to them and ask them if they need help with anything, but its up to the store management and security to handle the situation. I think it has to do with liability should the shoplifter become violent (like this guy pulling a knife) and the store then being held accountable for any injuries.
They have security there for a reason. Sucks they got fired but I'm assuming at their age they can find another random job.
They have security there for a reason. Sucks they got fired but I'm assuming at their age they can find another random job.