View Full Version : Thanks Lowe's, I'll Go Somewhere Else.
Another example of "No good deed goes unpunished." A verbal reprimand to remind her of company policy, that I can see. To can her after eighteen years of service? That's just cold man, really cold.
http://www.inquisitr.com/987974/lowes-fires-grandma-who-chased-shoplifter/
She should have stayed in the car.
:D
Seriously, going outside and getting the license plate is one thing. Reaching in his car and trying to repossess the stolen property, that's where she got fired. It's a liability thing for Lowes.
Lowe's has a very clear policy that they do not report shoplifters unless it is a "ring" that's hitting the stores repeatedly.
Sears is the same way. In fact if a bystander reports a shoplifting the employees basically run when you (as a LEO) show up yelling "I didn't call!!". Because they know the brass will get pissed that someone reported it, because then they have to contact corporate, who has to do an investigation, ect, ect, (costing more in the long run than that 18v drill battery)
They are a company, they have policies. I don't understand the issue? This moron obviously cant follow simple directions.....
I also would doubt this was the first time she has done this. We have a couple store in my squad area that have some over zealous loss prevention employees. I had a 40 year old woman jump onto the back of a moving vehicle trying to recover a 40 dollar pair of shoes. The Walmart in my area chases people on foot through the neighborhood all the time. I've had one tackle a suspect in the parking lot and handcuff himself to the suspect. I work in a violent part of town and none of that is a good idea.
BoringGuy45
10-10-13, 22:04
The no pursuit policies in stores is actually a good one that protects employees.
1st, it's just stuff, and it's not even stuff that belongs to the employees. It's really no skin off their nose if the stuff is stolen unless it affects their paycheck (which it doesn't). Merchandise is not something worth getting hurt or losing your life over.
2nd, if these policies were not in place, I'd bet my house that many store managers would have a policy of forcing employees to track down shoplifters and get them even if it means putting employees in mortal danger. If the thief got away, they get a pink slip.
I do disagree strongly with store employees who have been fired after trying to save a customer from an assault, as has happened before. It's about priorities. It's two different things, to stand by and let petty criminals go and let the powers that be do as they will with these people, and standing by and letting your fellow man be harmed. I worked at a place that had such a policy. Even if someone was in grave danger, I was not to interfere in any way. If I did, I would be immediately terminated. THAT is not right.
FromMyColdDeadHand
10-10-13, 22:26
Didn't we have a similar discussion on this topic a few months ago?
There is nothing in Lowe's that I would risk my life over or for that matter steal.
I do just keep walking when the exit buzzer goes off for security tags the cashier forgot to deactivate. Why even have them if you aren't going to pursue or even press charges??
long time ago I was going through a parking lot and saw this dude running and this girl behind who I knew was a store employee she caught the back of him and he turned around and decked her to the ground about this time I was up near them he then did not keep running but kept on her so I jumped out and did not hit him but quickly locked him up and took him to the ground and he was screaming to get away
kinda all happened quickly and was quite a while ago but if I was not there it might not have ended so well for her
turns out the guy was a shoplifter I held him till cops showed up :) needless to say he was not to happy with me :) hahahahaha but he was a PUSSY big time
told her you are lucky I came along and she somehow thought she was winning ? HUH !!!!!
I cant see anyone working at a mega store stopping anyone ? you just never know the dude could jab a screwdriver into your gut and wold not be worth saving that store a few bucks !
Moose-Knuckle
10-11-13, 01:16
Academy Sports & Outdoors implemented a similar policy after a store manager was shot and killed in a parking lot over a pair of athletic shoes. The companies are not hurting for money, that item is not going to drive them out of business, no one who works in retail makes enough to give two shits in the first place.
all retail has loss built into pricing anyway ?
No sympathy here. Policy is policy. If you don't like your company's policy, go work somewhere else.
Simple.
People have been seriously injured and killed. Let them take the shit and walk away. Corporate office can deal with the BS. No amount of shit in those stores is worth getting killed over.
I also would doubt this was the first time she has done this. We have a couple store in my squad area that have some over zealous loss prevention employees. I had a 40 year old woman jump onto the back of a moving vehicle trying to recover a 40 dollar pair of shoes. The Walmart in my area chases people on foot through the neighborhood all the time. I've had one tackle a suspect in the parking lot and handcuff himself to the suspect. I work in a violent part of town and none of that is a good idea.
Same kinda deal here. The loss prevention guy at Target thought he was a badass, until the guy he followed out to his car pulled a piece on him....lol.
FromMyColdDeadHand
10-11-13, 07:11
As I get older, I realize that most of the dangers at a workplace are employee not employer in origin. Not following safety procedures, wearing PPE, reading MSDS and in general taking shortcuts. I think that companies have to do a better job explaining to people that it is dangerous to play vigilante. People sometimes get very territorial about their work places.
God love these people that want to do the right thing, versus the employees who help the thieves- but like everyone said, its just not worth it
A company has to weigh risk, worker injuries, lawsuits from shoplifters and a myriad of other considerations.
If she violated company policy, I am not surprised she was fired.
Nice to see all the level-headed thinking on display on this thread. Elsewhere we would read impassioned defenses devolving into conspiracy theories about black helos, etc.
:D
Reading the article she makes it sound like they were stealing from her.
I used to do Loss Prevention. Employee safety and public relations are far more expensive to fix/replace than recovering a stolen item.
When working for Large electronics retailed repairing computers in college. I was talking to one of the managers and we realized that the lawsuit for losing customer data was higher than what an entire store (the most profitable largest ones at that) made in revenue in a year.
That it'd be cheaper to literally lose everything in the entire store than be sued for data loss.
Complaining about this kind of policy is kind of like complaining every time Pizza Hut or Autozone fires somebody for defending themselves with a gun. ALL corps have these kinds of policy for insurance reasons. I had a friend get all rabid because Autozone fired that guy and I looked at her and said "And you don't think Advance, Oreilly, Car Quest, or NAPA would have done the same thing?" Please, it's the way business is done.
Newsflash Blart, store Security is does not have the same training, equipment, or legal authority as the Police.
I especially like the part how it states policies are in place for "safety of employees".
Please. No corporation gives a shit about its employees.
They get fired over ridiculous things and often aren't givin a reason.
In a country where everything is so readily available and easily replaceable.....it's easier to let someone go than give a warning?
That's why fast food workers slap your shit sandwich together and the dipshit wears his pants around his ass. The company doesn't give 2 shits about him. So what incentive do they have to do a good job?
" my only real motivation is not to be hassled, that and the fear of losing my job. But you know, Bob, that will only make someone work just hard enough not to get fired."
That's right she knew the policy and chose to ignore it. When my employees knowingly violate a company policy I would terminate them too.
Don't like my company's policy? Then you are free to go work for someone else.
Cameron
Reading the article she makes it sound like they were stealing from her.
In an older persons mindset that is probably exactly as she saw it.
If you steal from her employer that takes money out of his pocket which leaves less to pay employees. If you steal enough that her employer goes out of business you have stolen her job.
Not too many generations ago this was a standard mindset and every employee would have done the same or similar without fail. But that is not the world we live in today.
We have a much greater tolerance from crime and theft today and the threat of litigation is a huge motivator to do nothing.
In an older persons mindset that is probably exactly as she saw it.
If you steal from her employer that takes money out of his pocket which leaves less to pay employees. If you steal enough that her employer goes out of business you have stolen her job.
Not too many generations ago this was a standard mindset and every employee would have done the same or similar without fail. But that is not the world we live in today.
We have a much greater tolerance from crime and theft today and the threat of litigation is a huge motivator to do nothing.
Spot on.
My father would've seen it as a matter of principle that you do NOT allow vermin to get away with theft. That something like thievery would be tolerated as a matter of policy would have been incomprehensible.
In an older persons mindset that is probably exactly as she saw it.
If you steal from her employer that takes money out of his pocket which leaves less to pay employees. If you steal enough that her employer goes out of business you have stolen her job.
Not too many generations ago this was a standard mindset and every employee would have done the same or similar without fail. But that is not the world we live in today.
We have a much greater tolerance from crime and theft today and the threat of litigation is a huge motivator to do nothing.
That's how it was handled with us.
That and people had died in apprehensions before.
How I'd solve it make the punishment for theft harsher.
We can't make it a less litigation happy society. We can make jail terms longer though.
Moose-Knuckle
10-11-13, 13:08
Complaining about this kind of policy is kind of like complaining every time Pizza Hut or Autozone fires somebody for defending themselves with a gun.
This is a problem when you consider how many pizza delivery drivers are robbed/stabbed/shot every year. They are in their personal cars I have no problem with them exercising their 2nd Amendment rights.
Another example of "No good deed goes unpunished." A verbal reprimand to remind her of company policy, that I can see. To can her after eighteen years of service? That's just cold man, really cold.
http://www.inquisitr.com/987974/lowes-fires-grandma-who-chased-shoplifter/
I think its kind of a slap in the face to those who actually do serve their communities, state or country to call working at Lowe's "service".
I think its kind of a slap in the face to those who actually do serve their communities, state or country to call working at Lowe's "service".
I think you are being a tad sensitive. She provided what we can reasonably assume was "loyal service" to her employer.
Is that "service" comparable to other occupations like LE, FD or EMS? Not really even though they are also paid occupations.
And by the same token LE, FD and EMS typically is comparable to other services like military, CIA, NSA, etc.
Bottom line is a flunkie at the Burger King window technically provides a "service." The quality and the importance of that service to the community, state or nation are all relative.
Now if she tried to equate her "service at Lowes" to something more significant than it was, then I could see a reason to take issue. But I didn't see anything that indicated such an attitude. I think she was stressing her belief that it is unreasonable to be dismissed after all those years of service for essentially trying to protect the property of her employer.
She probably genuinely can't understand how her actions can be viewed as a bad thing.
Slight disagreement. Only because there are plenty of cases of these robberies occurring where the criminal still executes everyone so as to not leave witnesses. So if they person say had a firearm in his vehicle and was in a position to intervene I would probably be OK with that.
Complaining about this kind of policy is kind of like complaining every time Pizza Hut or Autozone fires somebody for defending themselves with a gun. ALL corps have these kinds of policy for insurance reasons. I had a friend get all rabid because Autozone fired that guy and I looked at her and said "And you don't think Advance, Oreilly, Car Quest, or NAPA would have done the same thing?" Please, it's the way business is done.
ClearedHot
10-11-13, 19:22
People have been seriously injured and killed. Let them take the shit and walk away. Corporate office can deal with the BS. No amount of shit in those stores is worth getting killed over.
The irony is, most theft at stores is internal. Statistics show store employees steal more than actual shoplifters.
Slight disagreement. Only because there are plenty of cases of these robberies occurring where the criminal still executes everyone so as to not leave witnesses. So if they person say had a firearm in his vehicle and was in a position to intervene I would probably be OK with that.
Oh I completely agree with smoking the robber and defending oneself. I'm just saying the company is gonna fire that person and it's not worth getting riled up about it because virtually all companies have the same policy. I just get annoyed when on the typical gun forum you have, say, a Pizza Hut delivery driver get fired for defending himself with a gun and everybody goes "Well I'm never eating there again!" and "Boycott! Boycott! Boycott!" when all the other pizza chains are the same exact way.
At work if I was to shoot somebody assaulting me I fully expect to get fired because it is agency policy for us not to carry weapons. Every .gov organization is going to have the same policy (excepting LE of course). I'll be happy to not be six foot under, though.
Welcome to the new America, where the fear of liability is a crippling disease. I don't know of any companies, beyond maybe a small, locally owned company, that doesn't prohibit employees from carrying a gun and/or tell employees not to mess with shoplifters.
In an older persons mindset that is probably exactly as she saw it.
If you steal from her employer that takes money out of his pocket which leaves less to pay employees. If you steal enough that her employer goes out of business you have stolen her job.
Not too many generations ago this was a standard mindset and every employee would have done the same or similar without fail. But that is not the world we live in today.
We have a much greater tolerance from crime and theft today and the threat of litigation is a huge motivator to do nothing.
This. I remember as a child grocery stores always had an elevated booth up front where the manager kept a shotgun (in most). It was damn near identical to the grocery store in Raising Arizona.
Walmart nearly always has older folks working the door. I know one personally and she sees things just as Steyr described and has actually be reprimanded for trying to stop a theif once. In my mind, I do appreciate those who try to stop a shoplifter, even though I completely agree it is dangerous and dollar wise not worth it, but on principle, it is. It's a good reminder to see that there are still those out there who try to stand up for right and fight against wrong and bad. Maybe it's because I personally have had my vehicle broke into several times and my Dad's business was broke into with $30,000 worth of equipment stolen. I despise theives.
when i was in my 20's I worked at McRae's in the Loss prevention .yelp i busted shoplifters, even if it was just a 2 dollar pair of socks .
I quit right after a Guy was stabbed to death over stopping a couple stealing a pair of blue jeans. what a crazy job 85% of the people I busted had the money in their pocket to pay for the item .they just loved the thrill of it
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