A manager who worked his entire life at Morrisons but was fired after tackling a shoplifter has said he is ‘barely surviving’ since he was dismissed.
Sean Egan, 46, had intervened in an ‘abusive’ altercation with a repeat shoplifter in December at his store in Aldridge, near Walsall, who was trying to leave with stolen goods.
But the loyal employee, who had worked for Morrisons since he was 17, said he was told at a disciplinary hearing that he would be sacked for not following the company’s deter-and-not-detain policy.
The Wolverhampton local has since revealed that he and his family are struggling to ‘survive’, with his last paycheck coming through in January.
The father added that it has been difficult to move forward from this dismissal after being so invested in his work, having been at Morrisons for nearly three decades.
Mr Egan told the BBC: ‘I’ve given so much to a business where I’ve actually lived for work… but in that moment I felt like everything I had given was attacked.’
Typical policy would see Mr Egan escort a shoplifter off the premises but the store manager said the thief had become ‘aggressive’ and was spitting on him.
He said it was his ‘instant reaction’ to fling his arm back. He said he then grabbed the shoplifter’s own arm to stop him from reaching into his bag, which then led to the altercation.
Sean Egan, 46, has worked his entire life at Morrisons but was fired after tackling a shoplifter has said he is ‘barely surviving’ since he was dismissed
Should loyal employees be punished for putting themselves on the line to protect their workplace?
‘My thought is, “I’ve got to stop this guy. I don’t know what he’s going to do, not only to me, but anybody else”,’ he said.
Mr Egan added that there was a lot of pressure not to lose money and protect the store’s products.
The police were called but Morrisons was said to have still investigated Mr Egan.
Morrisons has been contacted for comment but previously said it will not comment on individual cases.
It previously shared: ‘We are continuing to take wide ranging action to address the threat of shoplifting or violence in our stores.
‘The health and safety of all colleagues and customers is of paramount importance to Morrisons.
‘We have very clear guidance, procedures and controls in place to protect our colleagues and customers from the risk of harm, which must be strictly followed.
‘These include detailed procedures for handling shoplifting incidents, which are in place to protect both the colleague involved and surrounding colleagues and customers, and which seek to de-escalate and calmly control the situation.
‘We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk.
‘As a responsible employer, our focus is entirely on taking the correct action to ensure health and safety is maintained at all times.’
