A Waitrose employee of 17 years has been sacked after intervening to stop a shoplifter stealing Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs. Walker Smith, 54, a shop assistant at the Clapham Junction branch in south London, said he grabbed the thief's bag after being alerted by a customer, leading to a brief struggle before the bag snapped and the eggs fell to the floor.
Smith said the shoplifter was a repeat offender and that he acted out of frustration at seeing theft occur daily. He admitted throwing a piece of a broken egg towards shopping trolleys, not at the thief, but apologised to his manager. Despite this, the matter was escalated and he was dismissed after a meeting with two store managers.
Smith, who has been diagnosed with anxiety, said he had recently moved into his own flat and now fears homelessness. He described Waitrose as 'like my family' and said his confidence is 'on the floor'. The retailer's policy prohibits staff from approaching shoplifters due to safety concerns.
A Waitrose spokesperson said the company takes safety seriously and has policies that partners must follow. They added that security levels are adjusted according to risk, and that nothing sold is worth risking lives for. The sacking comes amid rising shoplifting offences in England and Wales, which reached 519,381 in the year to September 2025.
