i guess the problem is if the shoplifter had gotten hurt or killed–or more likely, an innocent bystander had been toppled — say a fragile senior citizen who was going on a power walk around the mall — then the pursuers and their employers could ahve been the subject of lawsuits and, well, the garbage that was being stolen would be just a tiny chip of the total damages.

just aint worth it for the store.

they definitely need to discourage employees from putting people in harm’s way over other people’s stuff particularly by going on crazy panicked chases around the mall.

and if the company doesn’t fire these pursuers, then if it happens again, the plaintiffs can argue, hey, they ahve a culture of being crazy pursuers. so maybe it was the right move, financially, to fire them. I mean, we as a community want companies to do the financially efficient thing, right?

but if the pursuers were suing the company for wrongful termination, sure seems like a normal jury would be sympathetic to the pursuers wonder if their employee handbook says you get fired for forcibly trying to stop fleeing shoplifters.

it’s just stuff, after all…and the guys who do the chasing aren’t always noble do-gooders, but overeager goofballs who welcome the opportunity to chase and give a good ass-whupping, which, altough probably deserved, is not really in their job description….