Best Buy Employee Fired for Stopping Laptop Thief

Best Buy Employee Fired for Stopping Laptop Thief

www.tomsguide.com

Roger Kline, 51, was a computer department sales associate at a Best Buy in Billings, Montana for three years. He was among the top-performers at the store.

"I believe I was one of the highest-regarded employees there," he said.

Best Buy management, however, saw fit to terminate Kline's employment after he tackled a thief who was trying to run out of the electronics store with two unpaid laptops.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Obviously Best Buy has certain rules in place to protect them from a lawsuit. At the same time, the theif was caught red handed, and I'm sure they have video footage to back it up.

I think it's sad how the system is designed to protect criminals, both large and small, from the wall street bankers down to the petty shop lifters...

www.tomsguide.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Well the widely accepted argument for this is that its for the protection of other customers. What if the guy was armed?

Of course, I never understood that argument to begin with. I know the store that I work for requires employees to report the theft to there supervisor or head manager and leave the thief alone..

But then I ask myself, so we just let them go? Golly, I should go out and steal something. I'll just walk away

Most retail employers now have employees sign an agreement stating they will not attempt to apprehend thieves. I am fairly certain Best Buy does.

When you break a written agreement with your employer, you are fired. Thats just the way it is, and it is why stores have specific loss prevention agents.

reply to post by anon102


Actions like that, certainly makes it more enticing for would be criminals.

If I were a store owner, I too would tell my employees to comply or leave alone any criminal as I would not want them getting hurt for my benefit. But I would never terminate employment for someone taking it upon their self to stop a criminal if they felt they could handle it.

I will no longer shop at Best Buy, man, my list is getting pretty long.

poor guy.

I always wonder to myself why shoplifting doesn't go waaaay up in said store when I read articles like this. Best Buy is basically saying our employees will not try to stop you from walking out with stolen goods so have at it!

It sounds like he was fired for tackling him. They probably some company policy, and he probably should have just got a good description and license plate number then called the police.

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Thats just the way it is, and it is why stores have specific loss prevention agents.

I bet the real truth is, the loss prevention agents are union and that employee stepped over the union line and did their job for them while the agent was sitting on their ass in the back room. Union workers from my experience tend to have the attitude that they will work when they get around to it or when it fits their schedule.

reply to post by jjkenobi


They DO have loss prevention agents in the store, whose only job is to prevent shrinkage. What would have happened if this shoplifter had pulled a knife and stabbed this employee who was doing something outside of his job description? The store would be open for lawsuits. Unfortunately, in the sue happy society we live in, businesses have to protect themselves.

I rarely defend corporate america, but they are right in this one.

Originally posted by Skewed

Originally posted by captaintyinknots

Thats just the way it is, and it is why stores have specific loss prevention agents.

I bet the real truth is, the loss prevention agents are union and that employee stepped over the union line and did their job for them while the agent was sitting on their ass in the back room. Union workers from my experience tend to have the attitude that they will work when they get around to it or when it fits their schedule.

Nope. Best Buy has taken a lot of flack lately for squashing any union talk. Its about job description and risk involved.

reply to post by captaintyinknots


I can understand the rule... However my point stands. Grab your stuff and bolt through the front door because nobody there is going to stop you. Some loss prevention guy in a back room on a camera isn't going to do squat.

When I worked in retail my boss always told me if someone was trying to steal something, don't try to stop them because anything could happen. It's a little unfair that this guy was fired for trying to protect store goods, but I think the store was following their policies and protecting their own interests, because criminals can sue for all sorts these days.

I can understand why, but at the same time I don't agree with him being fired. Losing your job because some tumshie decided to get some freebies? Very unfair.

I know where I'll be stealing stuff from in the near future.

Originally posted by jjkenobi
reply to post by captaintyinknots

 

I can understand the rule... However my point stands. Grab your stuff and bolt through the front door because nobody there is going to stop you. Some loss prevention guy in a back room on a camera isn't going to do squat.

Most loss prevention agents are strolling around the store in street clothes. I worked for a MAJOR retailer for a very long time and know this as fact. The cameras are for gathering evidence. Generally speaking there is not someone there sitting and watching them all the time.

You are right, most shoplifters get away the first time or two. They generally get caught because they get recorded, and a file is started on them. They are usually issued "no trespassing" notice and are caught when they break that notice.

The majority of shoplifters are not arrested for shoplifting. It is usually for trespassing.

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


Lets say Mr Best buy Guy didnt do anything - they would probably have come up with the old " inside job " ur still fired - u sat there and watched as someone stole 2 laptops --- u probably set it up u r still fired ---
there is no winning may as well take the # ur self

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


They cannot just let this go because this time it did not turn bad. Just imagine had Jonny do good injured the thief. With our wonderful legal system, the thief would walk away with a lot more of BestBuys money than the wholesale value of two laptops. If they pat this guy on the back then the next hero will be waiting in the wings to tackle another would be thied. Just imagine had he been wrong. Try tackling me on the way out of the store and see how it goes. The store has to look out for the store and the store knows it stands a better chance with losing two laptops than it does losing a lawsuit over a customer or thief being injured on their property by an employee.

I know it sounds assbackwards but when you own your own company you might see things differently. If you can steal two laptops and cost me a couple of grand, then you suck. If you work for me and try to be a hero and end up costing me 10s to 100s of thousands of dollars and mountains of bad press, you will be dismissed. Bestbuy has security at the door and theft prevention techniques that preclude them from needing Johnny to put down his pencil and jump on someone by the door.

I'm curious as to how much more they charge for the products they sell to pay for this loss protection. It seems like a vicious circle. Don't stop a thief, we may get sued, must have insurance to pay for the loss, charge customer more to pay for insurance. What a shame, remember when this guy would have been considered a hero for stopping a bad guy?

Originally posted by alittleironic
reply to post by v1rtu0s0

 

Lets say Mr Best buy Guy didnt do anything - they would probably have come up with the old " inside job " ur still fired - u sat there and watched as someone stole 2 laptops --- u probably set it up u r still fired ---
there is no winning may as well take the # ur self

not true. Like I said before, most major retailers require their employees to sign a document saying they will not attempt to apprehend a shoplifter. They are supposed to offer assistance, remember details about the shoplifter, and report it to a loss prevention agent or a manager.

Originally posted by chiefsmom
I'm curious as to how much more they charge for the products they sell to pay for this loss protection. It seems like a vicious circle. Don't stop a thief, we may get sued, must have insurance to pay for the loss, charge customer more to pay for insurance. What a shame, remember when this guy would have been considered a hero for stopping a bad guy?

Remember when the thief wouldnt have been able to sue if injured?