• Employee fired after stopping thief from stealing Easter eggs
• Rising shoplifting and violence put British store staff under pressure

An employee at a UK store described his shock after being dismissed for preventing a thief from stealing a full display of Easter eggs.

Walker Smith, 54, who has worked at the store in south London for 17 years, said he noticed a thief filling a bag with Easter eggs before attempting to escape.

He explained that the eggs, sold at £13 each, fell during a brief struggle between him and the thief, causing one of the chocolate bunnies to break.

Smith said this was not the first time the thief had stolen and, despite management warnings not to confront shoplifters, he felt frustrated after seeing them get away repeatedly without consequence.

He added that store security had been reduced, with no guards on duty on Mondays and Tuesdays due to low theft reporting, leaving regular staff on the front line.

Smith expressed regret over his actions, noting his deep frustration after the incident, especially after being dismissed during a meeting with store managers, despite them being aware of his anxiety diagnosis.

He currently lives in a private flat after 25 years of shared accommodation, and he worries about losing his home and the risk of homelessness.

“I worked there for 17 years. I’m not violent or aggressive, but seeing this happen daily pushed me to frustration,” he said.

Data from the Office for National Statistics shows rising shoplifting in England and Wales, with 519,381 offenses in the year to September 2025, up 5% from the previous year.

The workers’ union said staff face unacceptable levels of violence and abuse, with two-thirds of attacks triggered by theft or armed robbery.

A spokesperson for the chain said: “We take the safety of our customers and partners very seriously and have clear policies that all staff must follow, including appropriate guarding adjusted to risk levels. We never want to notify families of a death due to someone trying to stop theft—human life is more important than any product.”

The spokesperson confirmed that standard appeal processes were followed and that policies are strictly enforced to protect both employees and customers.