The dismissal of four Home Depot employees after thwarting and apprehending three shoplifting suspects in a May 17 incident at one of the hardware giant's Oklahoma stores highlights a growing issue in how retail outlets define and enforce theft-prevention policies. Home Depot claims the employees were fired for violating the chain's policy regarding dealing with shoplifters and endangering fellow employees and customers by physically confronting the suspects. While most experts agree the store was right in punishing the workers, many say Home Depot went too far in firing them.
See "Workers Fired for Crime Prevention", Scott Flander, Human Resource Executive Online, June 17, 2007