Nigel Farage explodes as Waitrose sacks thief catcher: ‘Britain is broken!’ | Politics | News
Nigel Farage has hit back with fury after Waitrose sacked a worker who caught a shoplifter, saying it was a sign that “Britain is broken”. Walker Smith encountered a shoplifter who filled a shopping bag with Easter chocolate and tried to leave the store in Clapham Junction, London, without paying.
The 54-year-old man told The Guardian he grabbed the bag and a fight broke out, causing the carrier to split in half and several Lindt gold bunnies, worth £13 each, falling to the floor. As the thief fled the supermarket, Mr Walker grabbed a piece and angrily threw it towards the shopping trolleys. He said he did not target the thief but was reprimanded by his manager and the incident escalated within the company, ultimately leading to his dismissal.
UK Reform Leader Mr Farage expressed anger at the sacking, posting on social media site X: “We are now a country that chooses criminals over law enforcement. Britain is broken.”
Mr Smith said he felt “demoralized” following his dismissal and was worried about his future, including his ability to afford new accommodation.
He was told by Waitrose that he should not confront the thieves but said his growing frustration with increasing thefts at the store had led him to react.
A Waitrose spokesman said reports of the incident “do not capture the full facts of the situation”.
He said the supermarket could “never discuss an individual case” but added: “We can be confident that the correct process was followed, which includes the standard objection procedure.”
The spokesperson also said there are policies in place to protect the safety and security of staff and customers.
“We have had incidents where our partners have been hospitalized while fighting off thieves. Fortunately they have always recovered, but that may not always be the case.”
“There is a serious threat to life in the fight against thieves. We refuse to risk anyone’s life and that’s why we have policies that are very clearly understood and must be strictly adhered to.”
“As a responsible employer, we would never want to be in a position to notify families of a tragedy because someone tried to stop the theft. Nothing we sell is worth risking lives.”
Shoplifting continues to negatively impact retail sales in the UK, with 519,000 offenses recorded in England and Wales between September 2024 and September 2025.
A Waitrose spokesman added: “We have been campaigning for some time for more to be done to protect shop workers from criminals, including making retail crime a specific standalone offence.”
