Really Best Buy....?

Looks like they chose to go down kicking and screaming instead of peacefully.

That isn't really surprising. A lot of stores have an absolutely no confrontation/chase policy, because confronting a thief more often leads to violent crime than cooperating. Laptops can be replaced. Human lives cannot. I've heard of Circle K (the gas station I work at) employees getting fired for walking to the door to get the license plate off a thief's car, because it was considered chasing.

My store where I work has the same policy. Most places do.

As much as it sucks to be punished for being a good samaritan, the policy is there for a reason.

That said, I applaud the man for catching a theif.

lol... the ice cream store I used to work at had a loaded gun in one drawer for robberies... my boss encouraged us to chase thieves

LOL, any kid thieves tryin' to steal that ice cream, BLAST EM!

All shoplifting could be fixed if they just added a locking mechanism to doors so they can't simply walk out when they have a stolen computer/anything. They have those detection gates, might as well use them for more then making beeping noises at the criminal.

The last thing you, as a cashier, want to do, is lock yourself into a small convenience store with an angry would-be thief who is now going to be caught and fined because of your actions.

Hostage Situation made automatically

unless you have a gun


the gun was because our business was a cash only business that made thousands of dollars daily because of our prime location

Add two gates, one to stop the guy from escaping, and another to keep him seperate from everyone else. Of course, if there are any people between the gates they're hostages so it's not perfect.

or just invite the Toys for Tots Marines around more often!

They worked out wonderfully for one Best Buy.

I still don't personally agree with the policy they have, and that other companies have.

At Dairy Queen, we handled a lot of cash. Our emergency plan for a hold-up was for the cashier to stall. The Fry Chef was to fill a large mug (one of those 48-oz pop mugs you get at a gas station) with hot oil from the deep fat fryer, walk up to the counter, and ask what was going on. Upon confirmation of a hold-up, he was to douse the thief and hold him until Police show up.

Since this plan relied on
1: The thief to not have a gun.
2: The thief to not smell or see what was in the cup.
3: My non-existent acting skills.
My plan was to hide behind the freezer until the coast was clear. With a total of 3/4 of an inch of plate steel (I measured) between me and the bullets, I figured I'd be safe.

I think that BestBuy's policy is a good one, I just don't think it should be a fireable offense. If the guy chases the shoplifter, and the shoplifter is armed, it's his fault for thinking that he's Bruce Willis.

And you should totally be allowed to look out the window and take his license number.

The only life that was "at risk" was the employee's. His life is not the company's concern. Stupid policy is stupid.

Actually, his life is the company's concern. If an employee dies or is injured on the job during a robbery, which occurred because of the job, the company is liable to fork out the big bucks for medical/funeral expenses and losses/damages to the family.

yeah, companies are sort of liable for what happens on their property.