PALM COAST, Fla. (WSVN) — Four Home Depot employees are now without jobs after being fired for trying to stop a shoplifter.
Fox 35 reports that Jeffrey Miller, George Ippolito, Joe Spector, and Jazmin Kelly tried to track down a customer who appeared to be stealing from the store on Nov. 19.
The suspect, identified as Brandon Lowe, reportedly rammed his cart into Kelly when she asked to see his receipt. That’s when the three men followed Lowe out of the doors and into the parking lot, unknowingly going against company policy.
“All I did was followed suit and I wanted to get the license plate,” Miller said. “That’s all I did.”
Now the workers say they are being punished for trying to do the right thing.
“My son’s birthday is on the 19th, and Christmas – I don’t know how I’m going to make that happen,” Spector said.
The Home Depot released a statement, explaining why the workers were fired: “Pursuing shoplifters in the store or in the parking lot is extremely dangerous and risks the safety of everyone, which is why we only allow trained security personnel to do so. We’ve had instances of serious injury and even fatality in our stores. No amount of merchandise is worth risking the safety of others.”
Lowe was charged with grand theft for attempting to steal nearly $1,000 worth of tools.
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