Just need to vent
20 year career with a major retailer. Had solid career momentum. Living decently well. Never have any issues at the job. I believe I was a good manager who treated people fairly and always went to bat for them when they deserved more. Also, just had my best year, performance wise, ever.
Back in December, as I was getting a receipt validated by security for a drink I purchased, he noticed someone possibly about to walk out with product without paying. I start moving to the side of the exit to make myself visible and just convince the guy to not bother. Not here to be a hero or get someone arrested. Just trying to deter. Have my drink in my hand.
The shoplifter, quite unexpectedly, charges at me. I’m able to turn around quickly enough and brace myself before finally separating. Security grabs the guy and I, in a moment of instinct, grab the security wrap on the item. The shoplifter pushes into me again and punches me in the face. I don’t let go of the product but I just keep saying “just drop it and leave” hoping to end the chaos. Shoplifter lets go, runs back into the store, grabs more product and tries to run out with it. I just get on the phone with 911 as security struggles with the guy. He leaves without product while I’m still on phone.
Today, I get fired because “as a leader” I “acted recklessly”. I got charged, punched in the face and fired. I’m in at At Will state, so my career is gone and now I need to find something else quickly so I can continue to pay the mortgage and rest of the bills a normal family has.
I know people say corporations don’t care about their employees, but I’m just incredibly devastated. I was a damn good employee and it’s all gone because some jerkoff charged at me and corporate refuses to see any nuance in the event.
This is one of the many reasons why you should just call the cops and otherwise not get involved unless they’re immediately dangerous to people, a.) The companies have insurance against this stuff, and they usually have policies against would be “heroes” getting involved, and b.) They will fire you, you could get sued, you could wind up with charges yourself. You as a manager should have had an understanding of these things, but you didn’t and now you are facing the consequences of your actions, or the actions you felt forced to take.
Nobody should care that much about their faceless corporation, especially not in retail, why? Because they absolutely do not give a fuck about you, they will fire or lay you off for any silly reason, often just to make or save a few more bucks.
Everyone should just learn how to do your job and go home peacefully, and enjoy your time, or do something more meaningful with your time. You sound like you’re a nice meaningful person, maybe spend some time volunteering with the homeless or other needy groups, those people need the help, not some faceless greedy corporation.
Also get out of front line retail, it’s a shit show at every level, as a manager there are plenty of other fields you can move to if you have the ability, also getting into something like Project Management doesn’t take much, and the Project Management Professional certification is fairly easy to get, albeit somewhat pricey.
Good luck with your next move in life, hope it’s something that brings you happiness.
Not everyone can do cost benefit analysis while in a panicked struggle with someone.
OP admitted that they at least mildly engaged with the thief, had OP not gone even that far there probably wouldn’t have been a physical confrontation, also OP’s version of events could be biased as well, I’m not accusing OP, I’m just open to the possibility.
So with that said, sure people panic in tense situations, but if they know the policies in place, especially a manager with 20 years on the job, they would probably know that they shouldn’t engage if the policies forbid it, or at least I’d hope they would, managers are supposed to be some of the arbiters of the rules in the workplace.
The problem in these situations is usually the worker’s ego and sense of outrage at the crime, and obviously also the shithead or desperate criminal committing said crime, people have to overcome their ego and outrage and simply not put themselves in harms way, push folks to safety in the back areas, lock yourself in, and call the cops and corporate who ever you’re supposed to call in such situations.
I’m also not talking out of my ass, I’m going off accounts of what my 26 year old daughter has done as an assistant manager at Walgreens in similar circumstances, thankfully she no longer works at Walgreens, as it’s a shit company that does not give AF about their people.
The insurance generally doesn’t kick in unless its 100k plus. It is “planned” for that a certain amount of theft and such will happen,
As for getting sued, meh, merchant rights protect doing reasonable things. Issue comes up when someone “thinks” someone stole and does shit without thinking. Generally All the stores don’t want to have any type of liability with anyone getting hurt so no touching and/or heavy interacting is in policy