Professor calls for better support for shop workers

A university professor has called for better support and understanding of retail workers after a Morrisons shop manager was sacked for tackling a shoplifter.

Sean Egan, 46, who had worked at the Aldridge store, near Walsall, for 29 years, was devastated when he was dismissed following an incident in December, after he intervened when a repeat shoplifter became abusive.

Emmeline Taylor, a professor of criminology, said the incident highlighted a "nationwide shoplifting epidemic".

"Shoplifters are becoming increasingly emboldened. They might carry weapons, they're threatening, they're aggressive [but now] retailers responded to say, don't intervene," Taylor said.

A spokesperson for the store said its focus was "entirely on taking the correct action to ensure health and safety is maintained at all times".

The City Saint George's University Professor said broader non-intervention policies that have emboldened offenders are one reason for the increase in theft incidents and assaults towards retail workers.

"A non-intervention approach morphed into policies of, do not intervene and it suddenly became that you would be the one being questioned if you did so, and that's where we've got this real issue.

"Policies were brought in with good intentions. The way that they seem to have been implicated just is soul destroying for shop workers who are well trained.

The number of shop thefts recorded by the police last year was 529,994 incidents tallied by the Office for National Statistics.

"It would appear that Morrisons have taken a very black and white approach to this, that perhaps doesn't understand the context that shop workers are actually having to work in at the moment," she said.

The story was catapulted into the national headlines, with politicians and the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police rushing to show their support.

The former store manager, who lives in Wolverhampton, previously said the support he had received from the nation was "outstanding".

"I've worked there for a long time. I'm happy that I've been acknowledged by the people I served for so long. It has meant so much to me – I'm indebted to the people of Aldridge."

A Morrisons spokesperson said the store could not comment on individual cases, but that the health and safety of all colleagues and customers was of paramount importance.

They added: "We have very clear guidance, procedures and controls in place to protect our colleagues and customers from the risk of harm, which must be strictly followed.

"These include detailed procedures for handling shoplifting incidents, which are designed to protect both the colleague involved and surrounding colleagues and customers, and which seek to de‑escalate and calmly control the situation. We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk."

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