Best Buy Employee Fired for Stopping Laptop Thief

We have crooked lawyers and our fellow humans to blame for the ridiculous nature of the our legal system now. People who sue for any stupid thing, and then lawyers who win these cases, setting a precident. Don't blame the companies - they have to do what they have to do, to protect themselves.

For example, we recently let go of one of our techs - he was a good guy, but his boss could not write him a letter of recommendation as a boss, just as a friend. Due to lawsuits some idiots won in the past in regards to letters of recommendation. It's stupidity. When someone calls in regards to a new job, his boss cannot tell him anything about his performance, good OR bad. The only thing he can do is basically say "Yes, he worked here."

All thanks to moronic laws upheld by moronic judges.

If this had happened just a few decades ago, you'd never be fired for such a thing. I don't think the store had a lot of options, he went up and above whats required of him, but in doing so put himself and others at risk.

What on one side appears to be a man just protecting the store, on another escalating a petty crime into a more violent outcome. He should have thought of this.

That been said, I would not have fired him personally, as his intentions weren't to harm anybody, but as a breech of contract I guess the system has to be fair and equal to everyone who breaks it.

On a side note - laptops, or pretty much anything inside a store a thief tries to steal nobody should feel they have to try stop them, if violence is used, and you have no option but to protect a fellow customer or coworker, then its understandable and a brave move to try help tackle the problem - although for petty thefts it really isn't worth the risk, not when its literally a speck of dust in the bank to a big corp.

that is completely rediculous. i think the guy did the right thing

Having worked Security in my past (was licensed, etc.), I understand the company's decision, even if I don't necessarily agree with it.

The proper thing to do would have been to notify loss prevention. (or, if they were getting away out the door, follow them to their car, and note the make, model, license plate, etc.).

The laws seem made for the criminals, but they are also to protect the store from a far greater loss (i.e. a couple of laptops or many thousands or more in a lawsuit)....
There are a lot of rules governing what security can and cannot do (and when they can do it).

I would have waived bye bye
and shouted have a nice day & thank you for stealing from Best Buy

reply to post by captaintyinknots


well i can tell yyou wal-mart doesnt have any thing in place for there employees to leave a thief alone. i have seen several tackles in wal-mart by employees when stopping a thief lol

As usual, some words on a piece of paper > common sense.


I was told that when I got a job at a store once, just let people walk out.
What's funny is I asked the manager "well how do they get caught "
The response was "they usually don't since the investigators have to go to their house to prove they have it, and usually they don't have it there... it's only if they're caught again inside our store".

We live in an age of lawsuits where the company risks losing either $1,000 in merchandise or $1,000,000 in a liability claim. Of course the $1,000 would be expanded due to putting a loss prevention system in place that would make it harder to steal the goods.

Do I agree with the company? Well I understand liability so this was a righteous decision. If the tackle would have permanently damaged the thief the company would be liable for the money. The company would than sue the employee for going outside his job duties.

Originally posted by Sinnthia
reply to post by randyvs

 

That is another good point. Suppose you attempt to apprehend this person and you get harmed. Then what? So Bestbuy is already ripping someone else off to cover the predicted shrinkage and you risk taking yourself away from people that need and love you. This whole "right thing to do" falls apart when you apply real world varaibles dont it.

Yes most certainly and consider the variables of the one scenario. A heroin addict jonesing for a fix and firing a weapon in a crowded store? That employee has obviously not thought his superman act through very far. The risk of others catching a stray bullet at the point the gun is even pulled, with out any intent to fire, goes up 1000
percent in my view.

No this is a well thought out policy by lawyers responsible for a large companies well being. A think tank if you will and they've done their home work.
Bottom line.

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


your saying because he tackled him? that wasnt the correct procedure?

It's a tough call in my opinion. On one hand I see why he did it, he probably did feel like it was the right thing in that split second. On the other hand no entry-level employee is paid enough to really care what is stolen. At the end of the day I would never put my own life in danger to protect an inanimate object and nor should anyone else.

Unless maybe it was some magical device that suddenly ended all the worlds problems, maybe that inanimate object I would risk my life for. But a laptop? Meh!

reply to post by Bringer


lol and wave on the way out...bye ok now run mo fugga

reply to post by Ashyr


Yes. I'm into grappling, so I'm partial to takedown...single legs. Plus jiu jitsu is fun...


Er, but I think he should be pardoned with a good samaritan law or something.

I think employees should be trained the armed with hand guns! Woohoo. "Stop or I'll shoot!". I love it. Blow away scumbags stealing stuff.

I do not shop at best buy because of their selling tactics. You can never just go in and compare things. Always somebody standing right next to you, and if you do ask for help they try to upsale you. To add, most of the stuff can be found cheaper and online.... needless to say I have boycotted them since 2008.

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

YOU ARE RIGHT! In the past ive worked in places like this. I dont recall signing anything that said I cant stop a thief, unless they put that in the agreement in these recent years.

And the only store ive ever seen with "casual clothed anti theft" guys was walmart and fry's electronics. At Best buy, the "anti theft" guys wear yellow shirts and wait at the front by the doors. There is no camera system in the back.

Originally posted by R3KR
I do not shop at best buy because of their selling tactics. You can never just go in and compare things. Always somebody standing right next to you, and if you do ask for help they try to upsale you. To add, most of the stuff can be found cheaper and online.... needless to say I have boycotted them since 2008.

Hell yeah, and that whole "upsale" thing is the management pressure. They have to do it even if they dont want to cause manager man is watching them whenever a customer comes in their area. Trust me on that.

I feel bad for him. its tough enough getting a job but at 51 its even harder.

And in His case i could see Best Buys telling him why didn't you try to stop him.

And then you hear that people just don't get involved any more, cause if you do you get fired, arrested and or sued.

So all thats left is to stand on the side lines and watch or video it for you tube,

How sad has this world become that you can't stop a thief.

Ok! Best Buy is having a free for all.
just put a mask on have one hand in your coat.
and Take every think you like for free.
they would put it in a bag for you to!
even the police would stop going to the store to take crimbe reports.
so take a big van.

reply to post by v1rtu0s0




You know, at first you feel sorry for the guy because he was doing what he thought was right. But, no corporation is worthy of having an employee give his life for them. The thief could have been armed and he could have killed the store employee.

If Best Buy was concerned with this kind of thing they would have a security staff to handle these type situations. Most corporations are only concerned with making money, IMO.