Posted on 01/01/2024 9:44:53 PM PST by SeekAndFind
In the latest example of corporate stupidity, three sporting goods employees were fired for chasing a man who stole a pistol. Apparently, trying to stop someone from stealing a deadly weapon is against company policy.
This is yet another story in which a major company punishes employees for trying to protect it from entitled thugs who think they have the right to take what they want.
Michelle Sutton, along with two other unidentified workers at the Academy Sports + Outdoors in Metairie, Louisiana, said that the shoplifting incident happened Dec. 16.
The sales associates said that they thought they were about to make a sale and were showing a customer a pistol, when he took off with the firearm.
Sutton, who was working as a team lead at the store, said once she received word on her radio, she immediately dropped what she was doing and jumped into action.
"I just took off," Sutton told local TV news station WGNO. "I knew I needed some form of way to help the police."
Four days later, Sutton said the store fired her and the two other employees for trying to stop the thief. “Sutton said that they were let go due to Academy Sports + Outdoors policy on loss prevention, which states that employees are not allowed to chase or physically restrain a fleeing person suspected of theft,” according to the report.
Sutton criticized the store’s decision in a conversation with a local news outlet, arguing that she and her former colleagues were not properly trained.
“There’s no clarification on getting [the suspect’s] location for police,” Sutton said. “I know my store director had said that they want you to be able to get the make and model of a vehicle, you know, maybe a direction in which way the vehicle went.”
In this case, Sutton says the suspect wasn’t in a vehicle.
...
“Every store that sells firearms, especially pistols that are concealable, need to have clear policy,” Sutton said. “They need to have extra training. They need to prepare for the unexpected.”
Clothing company Lululemon came under fire last year for firing employees for violating a similar policy. During a wave of organized shoplifting operations in Atlanta, the company terminated two employees for – get this – talking back to thieves who were looting the store. Even scolding thieves was too much for Lululemon.
The looters had hit the same outlet a dozen times prior, but this time two female employees had had enough, with assistant manager Jennifer Ferguson telling them, “No, no, no, you can march back out.” The looters were undeterred, however, and knowing that they probably faced no consequences in today’s world, simply came back for more. “Seriously? Get out,” the frustrated former employee said.
“Chill, b–tch, shut your ass up,” one of the robbers responds. The women watch the thieves get in a getaway car but never tried to physically intervene.
So why did they get fired? For daring to speak to the robbers, and for calling the police…Which is against company policy. No, I’m not kidding:
“We are not supposed to get in the way. You kind of clear path for whatever they’re going to do,” Ferguson told 11Alive.
“And then, after it’s over, you scan a QR code. And that’s that. We’ve been told not to put it in any notes, because that might scare other people. We’re not supposed to call the police, not really supposed to talk about it.”
JUST IN: Lululemon employees confirm they were FIRED FOR CALLING THE POLICE on thieves ransacking store.
pic.twitter.com/2uRyS6mCYm— Mike Sperrazza (@MikeASperrazza) May 26, 2023
These policies, combined with local and state governments that essentially tell criminals they will not face consequences if they rob and steal, are a recipe for disaster. They reveal a disturbing inclination to protect criminals, even if it means punishing their victims or people trying to stop the theft.
Then, the people supporting these policies wonder why the crime rate is so high. Or perhaps they don’t actually care.
Well then - let’s use our brains.
This was not a ordinary theft. It was a theft of a firearm. It wasn’t a lamp shade or can opener. There is a distinction and it is the dealers responsibility to keep it secured - just as it is yours to keep yours secured.
More brain use....the typical customer that buys such a product is not likely to respond well to corporate mistreatment of employees going above and beyond in their job duties. Hence - it behooves Academy to THINK about their approach to this particular case.
3rd - more brain use....Blindly following the drone mantra of “it is corporate policy” really is not ‘using our brains’. It is blind acceptance and LAZY thinking.
Its a firearm dealer at that point - not a cash register.
Keep your firearms secure - YOUR responsibility.
exactly. This was not JUST merchandise or a cash register heist.
NONE of which were firearms thefts
Plus enter the 4th Brain use - Now the criminals have verification that they won’t be harassed when taking Academy’s guns. Free guns. Come in with 10 of your guys and clean the place out. GREAT new fodder for anti-gunners to say selling guns needs more restrictions and less proprietors.
Come on man. Use what God gave ya.
Exactly. It’s not a new “woke” policy. It’s been the standard policy in retail for many years.
For an employee it’s a cash register. It’s up to the company to setup the layout and procedures to make theft more difficult (impossible is never possible). And it’s definitely not up to the clerk to risk themselves for the company.
They’re going to have to chain all firearms to the floor.
It doesn’t matter what the thief is stealing. Store employees are instructed never to chase thieves. Loss prevention drummed that into our heads.
For the store, it’s a business decision. The store would rather lose an item (even a firearm) than face a lawsuit. For the store employee, it could be a matter of life and death.
What she did is understandable. It sounds commendable. She and two other employees ran outside to see where the thief was headed. They wanted to give information to police.
Most of us would’ve done the same, and we would’ve been fired, too. All I’m saying is this policy is nothing new. It’s been standard policy for years.
Tough working with the public.
It’s more than an insurance issue. It’s a fear of the blowback when the perps are shown to be black, which they almost always are.
Just the stupid ones.
Yuppers...
.
Guns Are ‘Radio Active’ in a sense.
.
Watched a guy take possession of a 10-22 and He stroked it like a Long Lost Lover grinning and drooling sitting in a Wheelchair!
He put the .22 aside then asked to hold a 12 ga. Pump....
I had to leave.
.
Or the giggling lesbians...
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Soy boys straining with a 1911...
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Some how I’d lose it.
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