After almost three decades of service at Morrisons, a store manager claimed he was fired for confronting a known shoplifter who turned aggressive.
Sean Egan, aged 46, disclosed that he was struggling to make ends meet following his dismissal from Morrisons, where he had been employed since he was 17. The incident occurred at the Aldridge store near Walsall in December, altering his work situation dramatically.
Sean recounted his attempt to halt a repeat offender who was attempting to exit the supermarket with stolen items. He stated: “In my role as store manager, I positioned myself to ensure the safety of my staff and customers.”
Despite his intentions, a disciplinary panel concluded that Sean’s dismissal was warranted as he had not adhered to the company’s policy of deterrence without detainment. Sean, hailing from Wolverhampton, explained: “According to the protocol for me as the store manager, I was supposed to escort him off the premises. However, as I was doing so, he became very hostile and spat at me.”
The altercation ensued as Sean tried to remove the individual from the store, resulting in the person spitting at him, as recounted to the BBC. Sean mentioned, “I instinctively reacted by reaching out and grabbing his arm to prevent him from reaching into his bag for something, which led to the altercation.”
At that moment, Sean felt compelled to intervene to prevent potential harm to himself and others in the store. Despite contacting the police during the incident, Sean found himself under investigation by Morrisons and subsequently terminated.
The aftermath of the ordeal has taken a toll on Sean and his family, with him expressing, “We are barely getting by.” He highlighted the impact on his personal life, including the lack of income since January.
Expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of support from the supermarket chain in handling shoplifters and violent individuals, Sean stated, “I have devoted so much to a company where I have essentially lived for work… but in that moment, it felt like everything I had given was disregarded.”
Morrisons declined to comment on specific cases when approached by The Mirror but emphasized their ongoing efforts to address shoplifting and violence in their stores.
“The safety of all employees and customers is our top priority at Morrisons. We have clear guidelines and procedures in place to safeguard our staff and customers from potential harm, which must be strictly followed.
“These procedures include specific protocols for managing shoplifting incidents designed to protect both the involved employee and others present, aiming to de-escalate and manage the situation calmly.
“We will not put our employees at risk. As a responsible employer, our primary focus is on taking appropriate actions to maintain health and safety at all times.”