Sir Mark Rowley, the head of the Metropolitan Police, has expressed bewilderment over the sacking of a Morrisons store manager who lost his job after confronting a shoplifter. The manager, Sean Egan, 46, was dismissed from the Aldridge branch in the West Midlands after a disciplinary hearing found he breached the supermarket's 'deter-not-detain' policy.
Mr Egan, who had worked at Morrisons for 29 years, said he was escorting a suspected shoplifter out of the store when the man became aggressive and spat at him repeatedly. He then forced the thief out, but was later fired. The case has sparked national debate over how retailers handle shoplifting, with calls for Mr Egan to be reinstated.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Sir Mark said he 'completely' sympathised with Mr Egan and was 'bewildered' by the case. 'Maybe there's something sensitive behind it that none of us know,' he said. 'But on the surface, if a store manager feels able to intervene and can do that safely, we always want people to do that. We want the public to be part of the fight against crime.'
Mr Egan described the incident as leaving him jobless and struggling with anxiety. 'Like many stores, we were dealing with frequent shoplifting, especially during peak Christmas period,' he said. 'On this occasion, the individual was a well known, prolific offender in the area. I followed company policy, approached calmly, offered help, and then escorted him from the store when needed. But as we neared the exit, I was spat at. In that moment, I reacted. Not as a manager. As a human being.'
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp also expressed support for Mr Egan, calling on Morrisons to reinstate him. A Morrisons spokesperson defended the decision, saying media reports did not reflect 'the full facts of the situation' and that the company's procedures are in place to protect colleagues and customers.
