Just Doing My Ex-Job, Ma’am
– Wal-Mart Fires ‘Asset Protection Officer’ For Chasing Down Shoplifter —
Josh Rutner was a unique Wal-Mart employee. He took his job seriously.
Josh was tasked with being an “asset protection officer” for the gigantic retailer. So, when a customer bolted on the check at Wal-Mart’s food counter and then ran out of the store with 43 dollars worth of golf balls in his pockets, Josh chased the thief down in the parking lot and held him until police arrived.
They held an employee awards ceremony for Josh the next day and rewarded him for actually giving a rat’s ass about the company by giving him a pink slip and, as a special bonus, a lifetime ban on working for the company again. Ever.
Wow. Talk about being soft on crime. The Wal-Mart policy on shoplifters makes law enforcement in Hollywood look like the Spanish Inquisition.
Wal-Mart spokesperson Michelle Bradford says the store’s no-chase policy is clear. “We take the safety and security of our customers and associates very seriously. There are specific instructions as to what an associate can and can’t do during a shoplifting episode.”
With all the potential for legal liability, it’s easy to see why Wal-Mart has this particular rule in place and what the proper course of action is in this situation.
Steal as much stuff from Wal-Mart as you can and sprint out the door with it.
If you get past the octogenarian checking receipts, it’s like a game show — you can keep whatever you’re carrying.
If you can’t chase a shoplifter, what exactly is your store policy for preventing theft? Grab a megaphone and attempt to reason with the thief as he runs out of sight?
In this case, it looks like “every day low prices” is also accompanied by “every day low company I.Q.”
For eight bucks an hour and lousy benefits, Wal-Mart should be handing out prizes to anyone who can stay awake during their shift, let alone try to help the company out by doing a good deed.
Although, with the ongoing recession, the advertising slogan, “Welcome to Wal-Mart. Just take what you need.” could be pretty compelling.
In a related story, Wal-Mart said it hopes to offset shoplifting losses by firing 90% of its cashiers since no one will use them anyway now that they know they can just walk off with stuff.
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“Where the hell is my getaway car?”
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Image: Zuma Press
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