69 y/o Walmart greeter fired for trying to stop thief

[bakemeacookie]

Walmart Greeter Ed Bauman Fired for Defending Himself After Getting Punched by Customer - True Crime Report

Cliffs: The 23 year old thief set off the alarms as he left Wal-Mart. The "greeter" followed him and wrote down his license plate number. The dude saw this, came back, tried to forcibly take the clipboard and then threw a punch at the 69 year old man. The greeter naturally fought back, other patrons came and helped restrain the thug. The cops came, said the greeter was justified, and arrested the thug. Everyone happy, right? Nope... Wal-Mart decided to fire the guy for "fighting with a customer".

unbelievable. And yeah yeah the 23 y/o was blaque. The stereotype continues!

c

 

[canadianhitman]

He should get a lawyer, and inform Wal-Mart that he's going to hit the media circuit looking every bit the part of a kindly old grandpa who's heartbroken about being fired before launching a wrongful dismissal lawsuit. They'll pay him not to (not that they'd fear the lawsuit, they'd fear the horrible PR damage).

 

[nydj66]

I'd say the old guy did everything right. He followed the theif just to get his license and defended himself only after the punk got physical.

Put me on that lawsuit jury and Walmart's going to pay through the nose.

 

[bigtravis]

if it happened exactly that way he was in the wrong. He didnt see him select any merchandise then conceal it on his person then proceed through all points of sale in attempt to deprive the merchant of their property so how can the greeter honestly stand up in a court of law and swear that he can prove the accused did commit a crime.

 

[nydj66]

if it happened exactly that way he was in the wrong. He didnt see him select any merchandise then conceal it on his person then proceed through all points of sale in attempt to deprive the merchant of their property so how can the greeter honestly stand up in a court of law and swear that he can prove the accused did commit a crime.

All the greeter was doing was writting down the guy's license plate when the kid took a swing at him for it.

He didn't chase the kid down and takle him or anything.

I say he was completely in the right. If the kid had done nothing wrong, the police simply wouldn't need any plate info. The old man was just getting it in case it was needed.

 

[bigtravis]

I have worked in a Wal-mart before doing loss prevention on the side. By their company policy the greeter is in the wrong for his actions. Greeters are only to greet persons and ONLY ask for a receipt if the alarm Does go off or if an item is too large for a bag. BUT. The customer does Not even have to stop for the greeter at all. This is for the reason I stated above. For in fear of a customer being wrongfully accused and the store being sued. The customer has to stop of his/her own free will. Only managment or LP can stop someone after all points of sale ONLY after they have witnessed selection, concealment, and continuous eye contact to that point. Once you stop someone against their will and begin questioning them about anything such as concealed merchandise... this is called detainment. And without excellent probable cause it is a mixture for disaster.

 

[nydj66]

I have worked in a Wal-mart before doing loss prevention on the side. By their company policy the greeter is in the wrong for his actions. Greeters are only to greet persons and ONLY ask for a receipt if the alarm Does go off or if an item is too large for a bag. BUT. The customer does Not even have to stop for the greeter at all. This is for the reason I stated above. For in fear of a customer being wrongfully accused and the store being sued. The customer has to stop of his/her own free will. Only managment or LP can stop someone after all points of sale ONLY after they have witnessed selection, concealment, and continuous eye contact to that point. Once you stop someone against their will and begin questioning them about anything such as concealed merchandise... this is called detainment. And without excellent probable cause it is a mixture for disaster.

I agree with everthing you said.

And the article doesn't say if the greeter asked for a receipt or not. But he did not try to detain anyone against their will. He followed the kid to the parking lot and wrote down his license plate on a clip board.

For that the kid came at him swinging and he defended himself.

Walmart will say the old man violated their policy by following the kid out.

I say Walmart's policy is another sad reminder of the fact that society is fucked up. The kid deverves to be chained to a water pipe and beaten with rubber hoses. And the Walmart Manager should have used discretion (and common sense) and given the Greeter a warning.

 

[bigtravis]

I totally agree with you. A slap does not deserve a punch, and a punch does not deserve a stab of a knife in the eyes of the law. The kid was waaay in the wrong as well. But in the case of the empoyee being terminated, the store is looking at it from a legal stand point. An atty will be looking at public humiliation, harrassment, plus defimation of character for his client. = big problems.




They both need to be teabagged IMO.

 

[ponyfitness]

He can still sue Wal Mart and they will pay him off to not have a total media circus about it. He'll also get lots of job offers from other companies.

Basically he didn't do anything except get assaulted - and he was obviously defending himself. Unless in their policies it specifically dictates he isn't allowed to follow customers into the parking lot and write stuff down then he's got an easy case.

 

[chris302001]

He can still sue Wal Mart and they will pay him off to not have a total media circus about it. He'll also get lots of job offers from other companies.

Basically he didn't do anything except get assaulted - and he was obviously defending himself. Unless in their policies it specifically dictates he isn't allowed to follow customers into the parking lot and write stuff down then he's got an easy case.

Basically it does. NOBODY is allowed to pursue someone outside other than LP and salaried MGMT. Media cirus -- yes. Suit -- not likely.