Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

‘Starsky & Hutch’ Walmart worker fired after he gets stabbed trying to stop shoplifter
Nypost ^ | 09/01/2024 | Steve Janoski

Posted on 09/02/2024 7:25:45 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27

A former Walmart worker who was part of a theft-busting duo known as “Starsky & Hutch’’ was stabbed by a suspected shoplifter — and says the company betrayed him by firing him afterward.

John Zalesky, 67, of Aurora, Colo., told The Post that he was so good at spotting shifty thieves during his 10-month tenure at a store in nearby Centennial that he and another eagle-eyed cashier nicknamed themselves after the TV crime-fighting duo — and Walmart even hailed him once with an award.

“In 10 months, I stopped well over 100 people,” Zalesky said recently, adding that his work as a front-end associate probably saved the company thousands of dollars in inventory “shrinkage,” a big deal for a relatively small store that he estimated lost $500,000 to theft last year.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Conspiracy; Local News; Society
KEYWORDS: fired; shoplifter; starskyhutch; walmart
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-44 next last
Aurora, Colorado? Isn't that where the Venezuelan gangs took over the apartment complex?
1 posted on 09/02/2024 7:25:45 AM PDT by ChicagoConservative27
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Apparently


2 posted on 09/02/2024 7:27:20 AM PDT by linMcHlp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Zalesky refused to go to the hospital and didn’t bother with stitches, even as co-workers fretted about the bloody wound. Instead, he cleaned it himself and had a pharmacist wrap it with gauze.


from the article for those who don’t read


3 posted on 09/02/2024 7:29:27 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

The new Harris/Tiny Tampon Tim America. Arrest the good guy for interfering with a bottom feeding Democrat bad guy committing a crime.


4 posted on 09/02/2024 7:30:54 AM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Liberals are FOS. The greatest threat to "democracy" is freeloader "immigration". Stupid morons.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Meanwhile, Zalesky said getting fired was a bit of a relief — now he doesn’t have to deal with the nonsense that comes with retail, such as rude customers and sometimes violence.

He started a GoFundMe — which has raised about $1,600 — to help shore up his finances. And he’s taking a few weeks to figure out his next move.

But he’s still a little salty about his former employer’s decision.


5 posted on 09/02/2024 7:31:18 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Next time... Just let them walk right out of the store... The store doesn’t care, why should he.


6 posted on 09/02/2024 7:31:29 AM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Hope this results in a lawsuit.


7 posted on 09/02/2024 7:33:22 AM PDT by xoxox
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

A lawyer might say a life is worth millions, quite often correctly.

There’s a reason stores don’t want employees to physically fight theft.


8 posted on 09/02/2024 7:36:43 AM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer

And there’s always Hawaii...

https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4262243/posts?page=4#4


9 posted on 09/02/2024 7:37:51 AM PDT by kiryandil (Kraft durch Freude! - The Kamunist and The Walzrus )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Steve+Janoski&ia=web

Author of article. Might be decent journalist?

Most articles have an obvious agenda, I am not seeing one here?


10 posted on 09/02/2024 7:38:06 AM PDT by PeterPrinciple (Thinking Caps are no longer being issued but there must be a warehouse full of them somewhere.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

The store I usually go to drastically reduced the number of self-checkout stations — presumably to cut down on theft. Sections of registers are shut down and roped off until someone else is called over to monitor them while in use.


11 posted on 09/02/2024 7:38:45 AM PDT by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." — M. O'Neal, USMC)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Brian Griffin
There’s a reason stores don’t want employees to physically fight theft.

And after enough thievery, the store shuts down and everyone's out of a job.

12 posted on 09/02/2024 7:41:36 AM PDT by Living Free in NH
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Walmart will fire and sue him.


13 posted on 09/02/2024 7:42:15 AM PDT by nickcarraway
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Large-scale theft is usually accompanied by fencing.

In areas where theft is common, stores might carry popular products with their own logo affixed.

Stores like Home Depot might offer rewards for stolen tools. When Jose uses the porta-potty Pedro might type in the serial numbers of his power tools to try to get a reward.


14 posted on 09/02/2024 7:47:53 AM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Living Free in NH

“the store shuts down and everyone’s out of a job”

Much of the stolen stuff gets put in a motor vehicle with a license plate and gets driven off.

That motor vehicle might make a valuable contribution to the police pension fund.


15 posted on 09/02/2024 7:52:41 AM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

In socialism all resources are public property in common for whoever wants it.


16 posted on 09/02/2024 7:52:53 AM PDT by Openurmind (The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world it leaves to its children. ~ D. Bonhoeffer)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jerod

> Next time... Just let them walk right out of the store... <

Right. Police officers have special training, weapons, and qualified immunity. But a store employee has none of that. So observe and report. That’s it.

Hero police officers get awards. Hero store employees get fired - assuming they survive the altercation.

(Exception: If someone’s life is in danger, you gotta do what you gotta do.)


17 posted on 09/02/2024 7:54:03 AM PDT by Leaning Right (The steal is real.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

The Italian word for lazy is pigro.


18 posted on 09/02/2024 7:56:24 AM PDT by Brian Griffin ("Why didn’t she do it three and a half years ago?”)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FoxInSocks

Our local Walmart here in Greeneville, TN is doing the same thing. An employee told me it was all about the amount of theft. I told her they should post a sign stating. “Please do not Steal”. That should take care of the problem.


19 posted on 09/02/2024 7:57:50 AM PDT by animal172 (This ain't the country I grew up in.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

When I worked at Best Buy back in the 80s, a store employee chased a shoplifter out into the parking lot and was shot and killed by the shoplifter. Ever since then the policy has been to let them go. As a result Best Buy is losing tens of millions from professionals who know they won’t be stopped.


20 posted on 09/02/2024 8:00:17 AM PDT by MNnice
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-44 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson