Randalls in Round Rock (Austin, West: insurance, how much, felony)

[oldtoiletsmkgdflrpots]

In the paper today I'm reading an article about an employee who just got fired because he chased a purse snatcher. This guy heard a woman call for help as someone just snatched her purse. He chased the person, caught him and then Randalls fired him. The guy was an employee of Randalls and the woman was shopping there.

It's enough reason for me never to step foot in a Randalls, that much I know.

He's a hero but yet he lost his job.

Shame on Randalls!


By the way the woman got her purse back with everything in it!!

[Trainwreck20]

I am pretty sure they are worried about someone pulling out a gun and shooting a good samaritan, they may even have requirements in the insurance about it (just guessing). Personally, I am all for chasing the guy down if you feel like it . I dated a girl many years ago who was a cashier in LA, and they were explicitly told not to do anything when they were robbed (which was several times) or they would be fired. Of course, that is slightly different than a purse-snatcher.

[CPTXJim]

I agree. It's sad this guy got fired for being a good citizen. One should always value their citizenship and the obligations that requires over one's job. The guy did the right thing and I think he will be sleeping good at night even if he was fired. He can hold his head up high and be proud because he is a good American.

[TexasHorseLady]

Maybe they have strong rules against such to prevent things like this from happening to their employees.

[CptnRn]

Randalls employee fired for chasing theft suspect (http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/28/0728randalls.html - broken link)

It cost him his job at a Round Rock Randalls, but Troy Schafer, who was fired last week after chasing a purse snatcher out of the grocery store, said he didn't have much choice.

The customer called police as Schafer collected Welch's purse, which had already been gone through and dropped in the field near some trees. Then Schafer chased the suspect for about another quarter-mile before police caught up and arrested the 15-year-old.

"We got (Welch) her purse back, all of her money, everything," Schafer said. "Then, the next day, my loss prevention unit from Randalls came in and said I was suspended without pay."

A few days later, Schafer said, he was fired.

Randalls spokeswoman Connie Yates said on Monday that, like all employees, Schafer had been trained not to pursue suspects in situations like the purse snatching. Instead, employees are told to focus on getting information for law enforcement officials.

"The policy exists for the safety of our employees, customers and others who may be seriously injured in a chase," Yates said in a statement.

Urge Randalls to give Troy Schafer his job back.

You can send them an email at business.ethics@safeway.com

Or send them a comment here:

Randalls - Comments

Or call the corporate office at 1-877-723-3929

Randalls policy of not pursuing criminals or defending its customers is making their stores dangerous because it is becoming known that shop lifters and purse snatchers will not be pursued. If caught all they have to do is run.

The local Randalls at William Cannon & Loop has had numerous experiences lately where people try to roll shopping carts full of beer. A few weeks ago the same guy tried it 3 times in one week, and just left the shopping cart and walked away when he was caught. A week later someone was caught doing the same thing in West Austin only because he was seen loading it into a car and the witness was able to give police the license plate number.

[ATX Homeboy]

My brother got fired from Academy for chasing down a thief.

When I worked for 7-11 we were told in our training course to just give the money to the robbers and don't fight back.

Mostly, businesses have these rules to prevent liability and law suits where a "good worker" gets hurt protecting the business then turns around and sues the business they worked for. It's unfortunate but its just more insight into the type of business culture that is fostered in America.

[johncronejr]

"Randalls spokeswoman Connie Yates said on Monday that, like all employees, Schafer had been trained not to pursue suspects in situations like the purse snatching. Instead, employees are told to focus on getting information for law enforcement officials."

Regarding this quote from the article....just how much more information can law enforcement get than to actually have the perpetrator in hand???

[CptnRn]

If this trend continues the police will start arresting good samaritans for "endangering the public" when they try to stop a criminal.

[CptnRn]

Randalls is becoming known in the community as a store that does not pursue criminals.

Several weeks ago one of my neighbors, "Mike", told me he was having lunch at the Randalls at William Cannon and South Loop 1 when a man wearing a beer company jacket wheeled a shopping cart full of cases of beer out the door. Randalls remodeled a while back and the beer and wine is now really close to the exit doors. Then there was a commotion of yelling as some store employees realized he was stealing them. The man left the beer and simply walked away with no one trying to pursue him. Mike asked one of the store employees about it and he said they could not pursue them or do anything about it. Mike asked if this happened very often. The employee said it is now happening numerous times every week. High school kids have caught on and are walking out almost daily with alcohol because they know no one will pursue them if they notice.

I don't know if its the same guy but a few days later I noticed this news article about the Randalls in West Austin.

Man accused in 3 beer heists - see the third story down (http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/2009/07/15/0715roundup.html - broken link)

Man accused of stealing beer

Police arrested a man accused of trying to steal a grocery cart loaded with beer from the same supermarket three times in 10 days.

Juan Carlos Maldonado, 31, walked into the Randalls at 715 Exposition Blvd. on June 26, July 3 and July 5 and each time tried to walk away with a cart full of beer, according to an arrest affidavit.

On June 26 and July 3, Maldonado was asked for a receipt as he was leaving the store, and both times he ran, abandoning about six cases of beer in the cart, the affidavit says.

On July 5, Maldonado had a man and a woman with him to distract managers while he grabbed the beer, according to the affidavit.

They were spotted loading the beer into a car, and managers noted the license plate number and reported it to police, the affidavit says.

The car is registered to Maldonado's wife, who officers suspect was the woman helping him in the theft, according to the affidavit. Maldonado has two previous theft convictions and is now charged with felony theft.

If convicted, Maldonado could face up to two years in a state jail. He was in the Travis County Jail with bail set at $14,000.

Apparently the only reason this guy got caught this time is because Randalls got the licensee number of the car he was putting the beer into.

This is not good for the safety of Randalls customers for criminals to know they can walk away and no one will try to stop them.

[mimimomx3]

It's a shame, but we have become so litigious that this is the outcome.