Trevor Long, a long-time assistant manager at the Superstore in Prince Albert, Sask., said he was fired after twice dealing with potentially dangerous customers.
He said the first situation happened earlier in the year when a naked man, high on drugs, caused a disturbance in the store.
The second incident happened in September when Long said he had to deal with an alleged shoplifter. It was the second time in two days the woman had been in the store.
Long, who was the manager on duty, responded to the employees’ calls to deal with her. He says police were called, and then he was told by another employee that they were already in the building, getting statements on what had happened with the shoplifter the night before.
When the shoplifter heard police were in the building, she fled into a back room and Long followed her.
Long says that’s where she pulled out a knife and threatened him.
Long said he was fired the next day.
“The time, the effort that I put in with that store and that company — to be terminated for the situation that unfolded that night, it kind of hurt, hurt and shock,” Long said.
Loblaws, the parent company of Superstore, told Global News that Long was let go due to a history of engaging shoplifters in a way that jeopardized safety.
“Our policies are designed to keep everyone safe,” the company said in a statement. “Mr. Long chose to repeatedly ignore them.”
Long said he was never formally warned after dealing with the naked man and has retained a lawyer.
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