Video at source.
Posted on 06/06/2007 10:53:36 AM PDT by Cagey
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.
Video at source.
We had the same ‘training’ for Denny’s Management: Offer to carry the cash register to the car for them and ask them if they’d like breakfast on the house.
They can’t stop shoplifters, or even call police?
I’m off to Home Depot, need about $50k worth of stuff!
Think I’m gonna go “shopping” at Home Depot after work.
From a legal point of view, I can understand the company not wanting to be liable if an employee is injured while trying to prevent shoplifting.
What I don't understand is not notifying the police.
Swwweeeet. Five finger discounts at Home Depot. I’m headed there now, I need a new Dewalt 12” miter saw. I don’t feel like paying $699 for it so this is good news.
Nice information to know. Next time I need something for free I’ll go to Home Depot./s
Have a nice day, and thank you for shoplifting at Home Depot.
Is this article an approval by Home Depot that paying for merchandise is now optional?
I can understand a policy barring their employees from chasing or detaining suspects to limit the stores liability, but it is beyond absurd that their policy prohibits them from calling the police.
Hey, my wife likes Lowes’ Stores. Do they have the same policy? I’m glad I sold my Home Depot stock!
Lowe’s has the same policy. I know a few people who work at the local Lowe’s and they say you can come in and take anything you like and they can’t do anything about it. It makes me feel like a sucker for spending as much as I do in there. Maybe I should change my “payment policy”.
I wonder if the author of this memo used to be a big-wig at the Border Patrol before he got his Home Depot job?
Where can I send a note to Home Depot to tell them that I’m shopping at Lowes from now on, because of their mistreatment of employees?
Sounds just like Southland Corp. 7-Eleven clerks are supposed to hand over money and merchandise and then stand patiently behind the counter while the criminal murders them.
If I need the forklift to steal some lumber, can I keep the forklift too?
Well, the only time I had to chase down a thief was when I was tending bar and some low-life tried to run off with one of my tip jars. The main difference from this story being that was MY MONEY, not the clubs. He also had a few sore spots he was nursing before police showed up. I have no idea how he got them......
Must've been written by a freaking lawyer. Like the dolts at Walmart, who decided that they won't chase or prosecute anyone who shoplifts more than $25 of merchandise.
Hmmm. I wonder if you were to call and tell them you were PLANNING on shoplifting some stuff, if they’d just ship it out to you to save you a trip (gas is expensive, ya know)?
In essence, Home Depot would prefer that their customers cover the cost of such losses.
Hmmm, if that’s the case, then maybe I won’t bother shopping there any more...
Well, we cant have cops and citizens doing real law enforcement... then we wouldn’t have time to catch all the cell phone users without hands off devices, or God forbid, someone driving by himself in the HOV lane....
It is not a world of men anymore.
I had a guy chase me out of the store one time after looking for additional memory for my laptop. He claimed that I stole it. He was wrong.
I’m glad you finally “get it”. Whewww.
This is why, even if it gets tight again job-wise...I’ll never tolerate the abject stupidity of management, and working retail ever again...
It’s really just not worth it anymore...
I know it sucks, but I understand Home Depot’s position on this. If they didn’t have this policy, the insurance premiums - already astronomical, would be even higher.
Which is why banks have the same policy, btw.
Typical of Home Depot they employees could not wish pepole a Merry Christmas but it is OK to tell them to have nice day when they shop lift. What is wrong with those dolts? I can agree with not chasing them but not reporting them to the police is ignorant
Wow this sounds great.
My wife is a retail manager and this is a common corporate policy. Wrongful search or detention lawsuits potentially cost the company far more than the items shoplifted (especially if theif is a “person of color”). All she is allowed to do is ask ther person if they have any items they “accidentally forgot to pay for”. If they say no, she has to smile and wish them a nice day.
It’s sad the employees suffer for trying to do the right thing, but you can’t blame Home Depot for trying to cover their ass. Thank the trial lawyers and the politicians who refuse to pass loser pays legislation.
the pussification and disneyfication of america. they will welcome our eventual conquerors with open arms.
Yikes!
If you get caught later then just say you forgot to pay.
Just correcting my sig line ignore please
An internal memo from Home Depot outlines that associates cannot accuse, detain, chase or call the police on any customer for shoplifting.
Way kool. I am not paying for anything there again. Just take what I want and walk out.
In a statement released yesterday, Home Depot's board of directors and Nardelli said they "mutually agreed" to the resignation, which took effect Tuesday. Under the terms of a separation agreement negotiated when he joined the company in 2000, Nardelli, 58, is to receive about $210 million in cash and stock options, including a $20 million severance payment and retirement benefits of $32 million.
That's a whole lot of lumber to sell to cover that.
It is simply illegal for anyone other than an LEO to attempt to detain someone.
If they want to go, you have to let them.
Or enforcing the ‘Free Speech Zones’ at political conventions...
Maybe they can go to work at Lowes.
Trial lawyer have castrated companies with lawsuits so much that the companies are afraid to defend themselves and instead forbid employee to fight back and fire them if they do
What can you shoplift from Dennys, the greasy plates?
Fork yes
ZIG for great justice ping.
WalMart ping to absolute utter IDIOCY.............SHEESH.
EXACTLY...........to cover their *ss on liability, the customers or supposed to foot the bill for their losses.........no thanks, the local Menards is just as handy, and they do stop shoplifters............
I wonder if the policy changes if this story is all over all news sources for 5 days.
Robbery son, robbery.
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