Lowe’s employee fired after trying to stop theft is offered her job back, company says
UPDATE: The Lowe’s employee has been reinstated at the Rincon, Georgia, location, senior manager of Lowe’s communications Larry Costello said in a statement to McClatchy News on July 25.
“After senior management became aware of the incident and spoke to (the employee) today, we are reinstating her job and we are pleased that she has accepted the offer to return to Lowe’s. First and foremost, there’s nothing more important than the safety of our customers and associates. Products can be replaced; people cannot. We continue to work closely with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who are responsible for this theft and violent attack,” Costello said.
The original story continues below.
A longtime Lowe’s employee has been terminated for trying to stop a theft at a Georgia store, according to police.
Three people went into the Rincon, Georgia, Lowe’s location and began putting merchandise into their carts, according to a July 20 Facebook post from the Rincon Police Department.
The three individuals filled the carts with more than $2,000 worth of items, police said, before walking out of the store without paying for the items on June 25.
A Lowe’s employee, 68, tried to stop the trio by grabbing onto one of the shopping carts, police said.
She did not make physical contact with any of the individuals, police said.
One of the accused thieves hit the employee in the face three times, according to police. The assault gave the employee a black eye and caused it to swell.
Two of the three accused thieves are still “at large,” police said, but the third has been taken into custody.
The Lowe’s employee, who has worked at the store for 13 years, was then fired for trying to stop the theft from taking place, police said.
Lowe’s told police that the action of grabbing the shopping cart was a violation of company policy, leading to the employee’s termination.
McClatchy News reached out to Lowe’s for a comment and is waiting for a response.
In January, a person who identified themselves as a former Lowe’s employee made a TikTok explaining the store’s policy and loss prevention strategy. The video has over 255,000 views as of July 21.
She says in the video that a loss prevention worker is likely already watching the theft take place and is recording it for law enforcement. She said only loss prevention workers are allowed to stop someone in the store, and all other employees are told to just let the shoplifters leave.
“If you’re ever at a Lowe’s and you see someone walk out and you’re like why aren’t any employees doing anything about it? It’s because of that,” she says in the video.
Rincon is located about 20 miles northwest of Savannah.
This story was originally published July 21, 2023 at 12:47 PM with the headline "Lowe’s employee fired after trying to stop theft is offered her job back, company says."
