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June 7, 2007
US Border Security Policy's Influence on Home Depot
Bob Stewart of Midwest City, Oklahoma has been fired along with three other workers from their jobs at Home Depot for helping police apprehend shoplifters in violation of company policy:
An internal memo from Home Depot outlines that associates cannot accuse, detain, chase or call the police on any customer for shoplifting.
As Stewart reports:
The loss-prevention guy at our Shields (Boulevard) store turned around and told me all we need to do is tell the shoplifter to have a good day as they leave the store. I said that just doesn't make sense.
Actually, in light of our policy on border security, it makes perfect sense. Our Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff must be moonlighting as a security consultant for Home Depot.
Stewart being fired instead of commended has US Attorney Johnny Sutton's fingerprints all over it. He must be moonlighting as a consultant too.
On a tip from V the K.
Posted by Van Helsing at June 7, 2007 7:31 AM
Comments
My local PD told us in a presentation that that's the policy of the Gap stores also.
Something to do with the cost of stolen merchandise, compared to the cost of everything that could go wrong when it comes to catching thieves.
Posted by: Brian at June 7, 2007 8:29 AM
It's not amnesty. It's a path to ownership.
Posted by: V the K at June 7, 2007 8:31 AM
I actually work at another hardware store, and we thankfully don't have to worry about such stupid policies. When we catch shoplifters, they're banned from the store for a year, and we often call the cops on him.
Posted by: Adam at June 7, 2007 8:58 AM
Sure, what the heck? Just pass the costs on to the consumers in the guise of "unavoidable" price increases.
Posted by: Pam at June 7, 2007 9:59 AM
So if you wear a burka to fool the cameras, everything at Home Depot is free?
Im building a deck this weekend.
Posted by: BelchSpeak at June 7, 2007 10:02 AM
Well finally...I can get that hammer-drill my wife won't let me buy.
Posted by: Ed at June 7, 2007 10:09 AM
Hey, VH, you got a hat tip form Hot Air, dude. Nicely done!
Posted by: Crush Liberalism at June 7, 2007 11:10 AM
Typo in prior comment: "form" should be "from".
Posted by: Crush Liberalism at June 7, 2007 11:11 AM
Hot air should have tipped Knowledge Is Power. That's where I found the story.
Posted by: V the K at June 7, 2007 11:38 AM
Great story. I will link to it.
Posted by: Bob Agard at June 8, 2007 2:10 PM
