Best Buy employees fired because....

[micfranklin]

...they stopped a shoplifter at the store.

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 a man fleeing the store at the FlatIron Marketplace.


"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.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/20446144/detail.html

This situation happened before, I was vexed at Home Depot for taking that action and I'm equally as vexed for Best Buy this time. Were it me I would've at least given them a bonus.

What say you all?

 

[Twitch]

That manager is an idiot. Did he give a reason for firing them?

 

[Merc]

That manager is an idiot. Did he give a reason for firing them?

Read the article.

They have specific guidelines when dealing with shoplifters that basically boil down to "call the police and give up". These guys stopped the crooks but broke their company's no-touch policy. It's lame, absolutely, but in some ways makes sense.

 

[Mirage]

That's annoying. In the end though, the store manager was probably just mad that he got cut. Clearly he's not cut out for the job... :naughty:

Seriously though, I don't think they should have been fired. Best Buy should go over their protocol regarding shoplifters with their employees again though. The thing is that they have insurance for stuff like this and if those kids (or the manager) had been killed during their attempt to stop this guy their families probably could have sued and won and everybody would be saying how dumb they were to risk their lives over a $10 an hour job.

Stores like this do have theft insurance. They also have actual security people (sometimes) who actually are paid to do stuff like this. It doesn't sound like these kids had that position.

 

[AngelsPeak]

They have rules in place for a reason. Although what these two did may have been admirable, the bottom line is the same, they were trained to stop persuit at the exit. They not only put themsleves in danger, but those around them as well.
Imagine if there had been serious injuries, who do you think is going to be paying for that?

 

[Merc]

The thing is that they have insurance for stuff like this and if those kids (or the manager) had been killed during their attempt to stop this guy their families probably could have sued and won and everybody would be saying how dumb they were to risk their lives over a $10 an hour job.

Or suspected crooks who get apprehended or chased down by random employees could sue after it's shown they didn't do anything. That's why Best Buy prefers people to not try and be heroes.

 

[micfranklin]

Considering the guy had a knife I'd want someone to do something, there's no guarantee he wouldn't have tried to gut someone whether he was being stopped or not.

 

[Mirage]

Or suspected crooks who get apprehended or chased down by random employees could sue after it's shown they didn't do anything. That's why Best Buy prefers people to not try and be heroes.

That's true. If a paying customer was tackled to the street you can be 100% sure they would sue and win some nice change. Those kids shouldn't have made the call. In the end there are too many reasons why it's simply not worth it, even if the job required it to be honest.

 

[AngelsPeak]

Considering the guy had a knife I'd want someone to do something, there's no guarantee he wouldn't have tried to gut someone whether he was being stopped or not.

Recovering stolen merchandise is worth the potential loss of your life?

 

[micfranklin]

Recovering stolen merchandise is worth the potential loss of your life?

Like I said there's no guarantee he wouldn't have tried to stab someone anyway.