Home Depot Fires Army Veteran, 70, for Trying to Stop Thieves from Leaving the Store
The 70-year-old army veteran Jim Tinney tried to do something right when he attempted to stop thieves from leaving the Home Depot store that he works for, but it caused him his job.
Tinney reportedly told the local media that he decided to throw a paint roller extension toward one of the three shoplifters who he noticed was stealing several tool sets from Home Depot in Pearland, Texas to prevent them from leaving the store premises.
His target managed to escape and no one reported any injuries, but the army veteran was still fired by the store's management two weeks after the incident.
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The former department store employee admitted that he dishonored his employment training, but claimed that he should have been given a lesser punishment. "I think they could have written me up, reprimanded me, but terminate me? That's pretty strong," he reportedly stated in an interview with ABC13. "I'm 70 years old. I need to work. I needed that job. I enjoyed working with customers figuring out what they wanted to do. It's fun."
Home Depot's Director of Corporate Communications Stephen Holmes also released a statement regarding the incident, saying that their department store has a very strict policy that should be observed by their security staff when dealing with shoplifters. "We've had deaths and serious injury over the years, and no amount of merchandise is more important than the safety of our associates and customers," the company communications head stated.
This could justify the reason why Tinney lost his job in the company.
Holmes also narrated several incidents that happened recently, including some stabbings. They also had an incident where one of their staff was bitten, while another incurred serious brain damage in the line of duty. He also revealed that they just had two shoplifting incidents in two different stores during the past 24 hours prior to the interview where the thieves pulled their guns.
