UK supermarket worker, 54, fired after trying to stop shoplifter from stealing Easter eggs

An employee of 17 years at a supermarket chain in the UK was fired after he tried to stop a shoplifter from getting away with a bag of chocolate bunny-shaped Easter eggs.

He was sacked for supposedly throwing a piece of the confectionery at the shoplifter as he was getting away.

Threw piece of Easter egg out of frustration

According to The Guardian, the man, Walker Smith, was a shop assistant at a branch of Waitrose in London, UK.

He has been working at the supermarket chain for 17 years.

On the day of the incident, Smith was going about his normal duties when he was stopped by a customer, who later told him that someone had filled up a Waitrose bag with Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs.

After spotting the thief, whom Smith said was a repeat offender, he grabbed the bag from the shoplifter.

The two then got into a struggle for a few seconds over the bag before it snapped.

The bunny-shaped chocolate, which costs £13 (S$22) each, fell to the ground.

The shoplifter then made a dash for the exit.

Smith then picked up a piece of one of the broken bunnies and "threw it out of frustration".

He was aiming at some shopping trolleys and not the shoplifter, Smith claimed.

Rampant shoplifting

Smith was later told off by his manager, and the matter escalated despite Smith's apology.

Smith said he was previously told not to approach shoplifters.

However, Smith said that shoplifting has become so rampant at the store that it has happened every day for the last five years.

However, security has been scaled back as shoplifting incidents are not reported enough.

"It's everybody from drug addicts to teenagers," Smith told The Guardian.

This spurred him to take action that day.

Smith said he got home that day and was "punching himself" over how he acted.

Dismissed despite pleas

A few days later, Smith was hauled into a meeting with two store managers.

Despite his pleas, he was dismissed.

"I tried to stay strong and I didn't say a word but inside I was crying. They led me out the back door by the bins. I just felt demoralised," Smith said, The Guardian reported.

Might become homeless

Prior to the dismissal, Smith had moved into his own studio flat after living with flatmates for 25 years.

"I'm not too sure what's going to happen with this place now. I might be homeless. My confidence is on the floor right now," Smith said.

A Waitrose spokesperson told The Guardian, "We take the safety and security of our customers and our partners incredibly seriously and to do this we have polices in place which our partners are aware of and required to follow."

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