Waitrose employee sacked after confronting shoplifter stealing chocolate Easter eggs
A long-serving Waitrose worker said she was left “disheartened” and “disappointed” after being made redundant after encountering a thief trying to steal Easter eggs.
Walker Smith, 54, an employee of the Clapham Junction branch for 17 years, described Waitrose as “like my family”. He claims his dismissal followed an attempt to stop a shoplifter with a bag full of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs.
Mr Smith grabbed the bag and after a brief struggle the bag broke and its contents fell out. The thief fled and Mr Smith “in frustration” threw a piece of the broken chocolate bunny towards the shopping trolleys.
Mr Smith, who was sacked at a meeting with store managers two days later, told The Guardian: “I was punching myself when I got home and was like, ‘Why did I do this?’ “I was thinking.” Waitrose said current reports did not reflect “the full facts of the situation” and stressed that “nothing we sell is worth risking lives”.
Recalling his dismissal, Mr Smith said: “I tried to stay strong and didn’t say a word, but inside I was crying. They took me out the back door by the bins. I felt demoralized.”
He added: “Waitrose is like family to me. My friends are there. I’ve been there for 17 years, I must be doing something right. I’m not a bad, violent or aggressive person. I’m disappointed to see this situation every day and not to see Waitrose doing much about it.”
Mr Smith, who has been diagnosed with anxiety, claims managers were aware of the condition. Although he regretted his actions, he told The Guardian he was forced to intervene after witnessing unauthorized thefts “at all hours of every day for the last five years”.
The incident comes at a time when burglary crimes are on the rise in England and Wales.
ONS figures show 519,381 crimes by September 2025; This is just under the record 530,439 crimes recorded in the year to March 2025, up 5% on the previous year.
The Conservatives recently reiterated their commitment to “Good Samaritan” protection for retail staff. Shadow Justice Secretary Kieran Mullan said it was “wrong to punish people who intervene to stop crime” and that those who did “the right thing” were punished.
Waitrose told the Press Association that the “safety and security” of its employees and customers supported policies against staff responding to shoplifters, explaining: “We have had incidents where partners have been hospitalized whilst tackling shoplifters. Fortunately, they have always recovered, but this is not always the case. There is a serious risk to life in dealing with shoplifters. We refuse to risk anyone’s life and that’s why we have policies that are very clearly understood and enforced. As a responsible employer, we are in a position to report a tragedy to families because someone has tried to stop the theft.” We never want to be, nothing we sell is worth risking lives for.
Waitrose, which did not discuss Mr Smith’s case, confirmed the “correct process” was followed, including an appeals procedure.
