Morrisons Manager Dismissed After 29 Years for Confronting Shoplifter
A father has criticized Morrisons supermarket for showing "no empathy" after he was sacked for tackling an aggressive shoplifter during an incident at the Aldridge store near Walsall. Sean Egan, 46, had worked at the Anchor Road location for nearly three decades, starting on the deli counter and rising to store manager before his dismissal.
Incident Details and Immediate Aftermath
The confrontation occurred on December 3 when Egan was stocking shelves and a known shoplifter entered the supermarket. A female staff member reported the man was placing bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey into a bag, and when she approached him, he became hostile. Egan intervened to de-escalate the situation.
As Egan attempted to escort the man from the premises, he was spat in the face, which triggered a defensive reaction. "I was asking him to leave when I was spat on the side of my face. I could hear him clearing his throat to spit again, and I threw my hand back," Egan explained. "I connected with him and drew the back of my hand against his face to create space between us. There was no punch, it was an instant reaction."
The altercation escalated when the shoplifter reached into his bag, leading Egan to grab his arm. They wrestled and inadvertently clashed heads before another staff member helped remove the individual from the store. The shoplifter continued to be aggressive, attempting to headbutt and spit at staff during the removal. Police later arrested the man, who was known to them.
Investigation and Dismissal
Egan initially believed he had performed a civil service for the community, but days later, his area manager informed him of an investigation. In February, the investigation concluded that Egan was at fault for failing to follow Morrisons' do-not-detain policy for shoplifters, which is designed to protect staff and customers from harm.
"I was in there for four hours, and it might as well have been four minutes because the outcome was going to be the same," Egan said. "The incident was blown out of proportion. I had seconds to protect customers and colleagues, but none of that was taken into account. They didn't take 29 years into consideration and only went off this one incident."
He expressed disappointment with the process, noting a lack of empathy from the company. "It was cut-throat from the beginning, no emotion. Nobody asked how I was feeling until the end of the appeal," he added. Egan also revealed he contacted the CEO multiple times but never received a response.
Personal and Financial Impact
Since his dismissal, Egan has been working as a window cleaner to make ends meet but is struggling financially, having missed multiple mortgage payments. As a father of two daughters, Ava and Lily, he is now seeking full-time employment but is uncertain about returning to retail after this experience.
"I've done 29 years from starting on the deli to becoming store manager. I'd rather not return to retail after this, but if I have to, I have to," he stated, highlighting the personal toll of the incident.
Morrisons' Official Response
In a statement to the BBC, a Morrisons spokesperson defended the company's actions, emphasizing their commitment to health and safety. "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," the spokesperson said.
The statement continued: "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."
The spokesperson concluded by reiterating the company's focus on maintaining safety at all times as a responsible employer.
