Posted on 08/24/2009 9:20:58 AM PDT by Arec Barrwin
WILLIAMSON COUNTY Randalls employee fired for chasing theft suspect Policy is for safety, spokeswoman says.
By Miguel Liscano AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Tuesday, July 28, 2009
It cost him his job at a Round Rock Randalls, but Troy Schafer, who was fired last week after chasing a purse snatcher out of the grocery store, said he didn't have much choice.
It was about 2 p.m. July 21, and Schafer had just walked in from finishing a sandwich and chips in front of the store when he heard 52-year-old Ann Welch screaming for help. Welch had been standing at the deli counter with her purse resting in her cart when someone ran past her, grabbed her purse and ran out the door.
She followed, screaming and pointing where he'd gone.
A U.S. Army veteran who said he spent some time in South Korea in the 1990s, Schafer, 36, took up the chase with help from a customer, he said.
Schafer ran across a field and through an apartment complex, hoping to cut the suspect off, but Schafer lost sight of him.
"I was just sitting there for about 30 seconds, saying, 'Come on. Make a mistake.' His head's going to pop up or something," Schafer said. "And it did."
The customer called police as Schafer collected Welch's purse, which had already been gone through and dropped in the field near some trees. Then Schafer chased the suspect for about another quarter-mile before police caught up and arrested the 15-year-old.
"We got (Welch) her purse back, all of her money, everything," Schafer said. "Then, the next day, my loss prevention unit from Randalls came in and said I was suspended without pay."
A few days later, Schafer said, he was fired.
Randalls spokeswoman Connie Yates said on Monday that, like all employees, Schafer had been trained not to pursue suspects in situations like the purse snatching. Instead, employees are told to focus on getting information for law enforcement officials.
"The policy exists for the safety of our employees, customers and others who may be seriously injured in a chase," Yates said in a statement.
Schafer said he understood the policy. But, he said, he wasn't thinking about it at the time.
"In a split-second decision, when someone is screaming for help, what do you do?" he asked. "I did what I thought was right. I still feel like I did the right thing. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror the next day if I didn't help that lady."
Schafer said he'd worked at the Randalls, at 2051 Gattis School Road, as a produce manager for about two months, commuting from his home in Bee Cave, where he lives with his wife, Star, and 20-year-old son, Bret.
He said he's already started looking for another job, but nothing has popped up yet.
"I'm really scared about what's going to happen here," Schafer said. "I'm trying to do everything I can to find something soon."
Welch said she appreciated the help Schafer and the unnamed customer gave her. She offered them money as a reward, she said, but they both refused.
Schafer told her Saturday that he had been fired. Welch said Monday morning she asked the store manager to give Schafer his job back. But the manager told her his hands were tied.
Welch said she hopes Schafer finds work soon.
"He heard me needing help, and he helped me. And then you fire him in this economy? It's just wrong," she said. "It is absolutely wrong."
mliscano@statesman.com; 246-1150
Someone out there in that area get this guy hired.
Then, we can all work on firing the real Obamahole in a couple of years.
Today's "managers" are not empowered to make any sort of hard decision.
The corporate culture rules.
We can't be having any individuality, don't you see?
Cowardice is standard these days. Men cannot be men or they will be punished! What a bunch of bull!
No shopping at that store.
I was a an Army veteran who spent some time in Korea in the late 1980's. I almost got fired by Southland Corp (e.g. 7-11) for something like this; 2ID must breed this mentality ;-) I was sick of people stealing beer from my store, so I did something about it. I chased a young punk out to the getaway car, jumped on the back of the car and punched out the back window. Police arrived in less than two minutes, asked me for a description of the car... I said the one with the back window punched out, LOL! They found it less than two miles away, and got one of the suspects still inside. Police drove me down there and ID'd the car and the suspect. Next, day manager told me the regional director wanted me fired, but after pleading by my manger and other employees, they let me stay.
Here's the larger context: Employee injures theft suspect, who in fact stole nothing at all, who is seriously injured after being tackled by the employee. The $2 package of Ding Dongs the employee thought he was recovering just turned into a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
So, customers are sitting ducks for a purse snatching in a Randall Store. Note to criminals - the coast is clear to snatch a purse at a Randall Store. Mr. Schafer, though, has it going on being a man and all. Best of luck to him And good luck to women who get their purses stolen at a Randall Store, since they will not allow anyone to help if they are employed there.
Isn’t it great when Accountants and Risk Managers run things?
Barney the Purple Dinosaur has somehow taken over Corporate America. “We don’t want you to get hurt, so we’ll fire you instead.”
Cowards. Cowards all of them.
The lawyers and executives didn’t pause to consider that in Texas, when a woman calls out in distress, decent men are
honor-bound to come to her aid. No self-respecting Texas man would have told her “sorry I cannot help you except to add to the police report”.
He may have lost that job but he stands a few inches taller
now. He’ll be all right.
Good point, but it’s still wrong to fire someone for an act like this. What about a reprimand?
Sometimes a man just has to do what a man has to do. The hell with the consequences.
Thanks, Chet, for making it clear.
Hopefully someone who is in the area and has a job begging for a good man will hire him!
Meanwhile, boycott Round Rock Randalls!
> Here’s the larger context: Employee injures theft suspect, who in fact stole nothing at all, who is seriously injured after being tackled by the employee. The $2 package of Ding Dongs the employee thought he was recovering just turned into a multi-million dollar lawsuit.
That is what Good Samaritan Laws and 3rd Party Liability insurance ought to be for.
Employee is indemnified as a Servant by Vicarious Liability, and excused by Good Samaritan Laws. Corporation is covered by 3rd Party Liability insurance, which is paid out from the insurance company’s reserve, which they have providentially and prudentially built up out of insurance premiums. Innocent injured customer is recompensed by insurance company, either by settlement in-court or out-of-court.
Nobody loses.
Store has to take this seriously. Suppose the thief had a gun and killed the pursuing store employee? Another massive work comp claim, or possibly a wrongful death lawsuit by the employee’s family. Businesses are pretty much liable for everything their employee does and anything that happens to the employee on company time... so they have the right to dictate rules that protect the company against ruinous liability claims.
Texas ping
TORT REFORM and more common sense.
Yet one more example of conventional morality turned on it’s head by the American Trial Lawyers Association.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and approach it from the corporate standpoint;
1. You’re hired to run a cash register or bag groceries. Law enforcement isn’t in your job description.
2. They know that things like this are going to happen when you deal with the general public, so they issue a policy letter.
2. You decide to chase a thief/purse snatcher and you get stabbed or shot. Maybe deaded.
Now, the corporation has to protect itself against the lawsuit from you (a parapalegic who looks good in court) or your next of kin.
The plaintiff’s attorney is surely gonna ask:
a) Did the company have a policy on this?
b) Was the policy enforced?
It’s be great if we could all think about things “in a larger context”. Unfortunately, the only real questin is wether or not the jury is going to think about it “in a larger context”.
Invariably, they don’t, to the tune of MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
Don’t blame the managers, blame the sleazy ambulance chasing lawyers who take every opportunity to sue. They’re the ones creating risk that insurance companies have to mitigate through the use of these policies.
Anyway, place your purse in the basket, in the bottom, as far back as possible. Then reach up and get the security straps meant to hold a child in the seat. Wrap each of the security straps around the handle of your purse as many times as you can.
As you shop, place large items in front of your purse so it's even harder to reach. Than, if you inadvertently wander off a bit from your cart, you want be a target for purse snatching!
Plan B: pull out your trusty shootin' arn and blow him away---(Just kidding, of course--sorta)
While I agree with your position, the commie Trial Lawyers have totally screwed Justice out of the US Justice System.
I know this ^ woman and she ain’t kiddin.
Don’t ask me HOW I know. :0
LOL! I’m sooooo tough—ask my 11 grandkids, and don’t believe it when they tell you I’m a pushover!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.