Waitrose Sacks Employee After He Stopped Shoplifter Stealing Easter Eggs

A long-serving Waitrose employee has been sacked after intervening to stop a shoplifter at the Clapham Junction branch in south London.

Walker Smith, 54, who had worked as a shop assistant at the supermaket for 17 years, was dismissed following an altercation over a bag of stolen Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs.

After being alerted by a customer, Smith confronted a repeat offender who had filled a bag with luxury Easter eggs worth approximately £13 each.

A brief struggle ensued as Smith grabbed the bag; the bag split, sending the chocolate treats flying everywhere before the shoplifter fled.

Out of frustration, Smith picked up a piece of a broken chocolate bunny and threw it towards some shopping trolleys.

You would think Walker Smith would get a pat on the back from his bosses at the very least, but instead, Waitrose cited a breach of company policy, which strictly prohibits staff from confronting shoplifters to ensure the safety of employees and customers.

Smith (below) admitted he had been previously instructed to leave shoplifters alone but felt compelled to act after years of witnessing unchecked daily thefts.

Smith, who is diagnosed with anxiety, has now told The Guardian that he feels “demoralised” and fears becoming homeless following his dismissal from what he considered his “family”.

Listen, fair play to Walker Smith for going above and beyond by confronting the thief and preventing him from stealing. Must have been a hell of a rush to catch the guy before he left the store and look like a hero to all his colleagues in the process.

HOWEVER, he was told repeatedly to not tackle or go after shoplifters, as irksome as that policy might be. So technically he broke the rules as set by his employer and that’s why he now finds himself on his @rse. The way Waitrose sees it – if Walker Smith or any other employee ends up getting stabbed in a fight with a shoplifter and are off claiming sick pay, then they’re screwed. Not to mention any potential lawsuits that could follow.

Still, it does seem incredibly harsh to sack the man over this one incident, especially as he’s been working with the Waitrose family (as he puts it) for 17 years. There is always Lidl, I suppose.

For the shopkeeper told by police to take down a sign calling shoplifters ‘scumbags’, click HERE. Crazy.