[coconutt2000]

If the manager was the one who took these extreme measures over a pencil, the manager should be reprimanded. This act will probably cost the store more money than the pencil was worth, when a simple, "Excuse me, you took a pencil by mistake." is all that was necessary.

[Welsh Rabbit]

This act will probably cost the store more money than the pencil was worth, when a simple, "Excuse me, you took a pencil by mistake." is all that was necessary.

Exactly. That guy is going to start going to Lowe's or anywhere other than HD for now on. I wouldn't have even bothered running after a pencil in the first place, let alone trying to bring up some sort of disciplinary action.