A Waitrose employee of 17 years has been sacked for stopping a shoplifter who stole Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs, sparking a job offer from Iceland's managing director.
Walker Smith, 54, a shop assistant at the Clapham Junction branch in south London, intervened after a customer alerted him to a thief filling a bag with the £13 eggs. He grabbed the bag, a struggle ensued, and the eggs fell to the floor. Smith threw a piece of broken egg in frustration, not aiming at the thief, who escaped.
Smith was dismissed after a meeting with managers, despite apologising and pleading that 'Waitrose is like my family'. He said he had been told not to approach shoplifters but acted due to repeated thefts. He now fears homelessness and has been diagnosed with anxiety.
Waitrose said it has policies to protect staff and customers, and that 'nothing we sell is worth risking lives for'. However, Iceland's managing director has offered Smith a job, praising his actions as 'heroic'.
Retail crime is rising, with 519,381 shoplifting offences in England and Wales in the year to September 2025, up 5% from the previous year.
