Guest Post by Miriam Judith
A former Walmart employee was recently fired after he was stabbed during an attempt to stop a shoplifter from stealing merchandise.
John Zalesky, 67, was let go from his position after he confronted a thief who fled after he requested to see her receipt. In an interview with the New York Post, Zalesky recounted the encounter, stating, “She wasn’t even denying it, she just took off.” Motivated by a desire to combat ongoing theft, he decided to chase the shoplifter to the car parked in a handicapped spot right outside the store’s entrance.
However, as Zalesky opened the shoplifter’s car door and reached for the woman’s purse containing the stolen goods, he was unexpectedly attacked by a man in the passenger seat, who stabbed him in the arm. Despite the attempt to strike Zalesky again, the assailant missed, and the duo fled the scene.
Fortunately, Zalesky’s injuries were minor and did not necessitate a hospital visit.
However, Just a week after the incident, Zalesky received news from his assistant manager that he was being fired. The company cited a breach of protocol, as he had pursued the shoplifter outside the store, thereby violating Walmart’s policy.
Reflecting on his longstanding commitment to the job, Zalesky noted that he had been recognized by the company multiple times for his effectiveness in preventing theft.
“They didn’t complain because it’s saving the company money and making the store look better since your losses aren’t bad,” he explained. “They all knew I was real good at detecting people stealing stuff.”
His termination left Zalesky feeling disappointed and betrayed. “I’m sad I lost my job because I had some fantastic people that I worked with,” he shared, expressing his hopes to stay with the company for a decade and retire comfortably. “But you’re trying to do the right thing, and you get slapped for it. That’s what’s most perturbing about it.”
He added, “I was disappointed that with all the [things] I’ve done, this is how Walmart thanks you. You save them thousands and thousands of dollars in stolen merchandise, and you have one incident, with a little bitty stab wound, and you fire the guy for it?”
Walmart sent FOX31 the following statement regarding the situation:
“This is really an unfortunate situation, and we wish John a speedy recovery. We have trained associates to combat theft and how to follow our policies to ensure Walmart is a safe place to shop and work.”
The police are still searching for the suspects.
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