Posted on 07/07/2023 12:51:57 PM PDT by Twotone
A grocery store employee in Colorado was fired after he videotaped three men loading stolen laundry detergent into a vehicle.
Last month, Santino Burrola went viral after posting a video to social media showing three men loading a basket full of stolen laundry detergent into a mini van in the parking lot of a King Soopers grocery store.
"Damn, these guys are good— look at 'em, stealing," Burrola said in the video. "Really, bro? You got to resort to this? The economy's not that bad. Better get it while the gettin's good."
As the vehicle drove off, Burrola managed to yank a piece of aluminum foil covering the license plate. He called police and shared the video on social media. His efforts helped police identify the driver of the car, whom they later arrested. Police are still searching for the other two men, but, fortunately, they know their identifies thanks to Burrola.
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But that didn't stop King Soopers from terminating Burrola.
The former military police officer told KCNC-TV that when he returned to work for the next shift following the theft, he was suspended. Then, during a meeting with the company that included a union representative, he was fired.
Apparently, King Soopers officials believe Burrola violated an employee policy that instructs employees not to intervene in theft.
In a statement, the company refused to comment on the matter directly, saying:
We have security measures in place to help prevent crime and de-escalate such confrontations to minimize the risk to our associates. While we are unable to comment on personnel matters, we value our hardworking associates and their safe return home.
But Burrola disagrees.
"Did I feel that I overstepped boundaries? Not really because I didn’t physically touch them or alter their shoplifting in any way, I just revealed the license plate to help the community to be aware, the police be aware and to help better catch them," he said, KUSA-TV reported.
Burrola was fired without severance pay, according to a GoFundMe established to help him.
His termination comes after Lululemon fired two employees in Georgia for intervening in a theft.
They really don't belong in business then. They allow criminals to rob them blind and then want nothing at all done about it? That's just a sure fire way to get more and more of it.
“...Burrola violated an employee policy that instructs employees not to intervene in theft.”
He didn’t intervene, he just recorded it then passed on the video to the appropriate authorities. I think he has grounds for wrongful termination.
“I think he has grounds for wrongful termination.”
Most lawsuits are not worth it. They are an emotional and monetary drain. In today’s environment you can replace a job like that in, literally, an hour. Everyplace I left, either on my own, or because I was laid off or fired, I ended up doing better somewhere else.
Actually, it looks like he acquired the video, then posted it personally, which made the company look like tools, and potentially encourage other thieves.
Should have just passed it to the cops and not tried to make social media hay for himself.
A veteran no less. Shame on the company. Hopefully this guy has a new job before the day is out and a good lawyer to sue the store.
That statement by the store was boilerplate insurance legalize crap.
Everyone that shops there should just start walking out without paying.
Lawyers and civil lawsuits ruined a lot of aspects of normal society. This is one of those aspects.
Freegards
RE: violated an employee policy that instructs employees not to intervene in theft.
The police and sheriff’s deputies probably agree they don’t want to get personally involved in arresting criminals or intervention in their crimes. Hands off and watch the waiting SUVs roar away like in the urban jewelry and electronics heists.💨💨💨💨
which made the company look like tools, and potentially encourage other thieves.
Firing the guy makes them look like bigger tools and way easier targets...
store fears retaliation.
I wouldn’t want to work for that company. They are inviting the criminal community to “come rob us,” thereby putting their employees in danger.
Colorado Ping ( Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
The employee should seek a decent job. He displayed great character, that should be worth something, somewhere.
Supermarket worker was ‘given direct order’ by the third person in charge to get the license plate,
Sounds like it’s open season on King Soopers, then.
Since by policy the store wants nothing done about shoplifting, the fella ought to mask up, go into the king soopers, and take a few hundred bucks worth of “severance.”
No nation that persecutes those resisting crime deserves to survive or will survive. It’s over.
Great, let them rot. It is a woke Kroger company.
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