'Families 'walking out with £500-worth of goods'

A security guard, working in retail, has described being subjected to daily abuse and violence from shoplifters, some of whom were stealing goods worth hundreds of pounds in a visit.

"They come in groups, sometimes families, loading their trolleys" and just walking straight out, Sharon OFogarty said. "Sometimes they're taking over £500 worth of goods every day."

She was speaking in defence of Morrisons manager, Sean Egan, who was sacked for tackling a repeated thief at his Aldridge store.

His local MP, Wendy Morton, said she had written to the chief executive of the supermarket giant, saying her constituents consider the 46-year-old a "hero".

Customers have shown their support, calling for him to be reinstated, and organising a protest for the worker, who had done "so much for his customers and the community".

The Conservative MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, said: "I have been in one way astounded but not surprised by the outcry by the community that I represent."

She said the store was "firmly rooted in our community, and the constituents have made it very clear with what they think".

"It feels like something isn't quite right here, it doesn't seem fair that somebody was getting on with their job," she added.

The daily task of dealing with shoplifters was a "nightmare," said OFogarty, who does not work for Morrisons, but in the wider retail sector.

"You're put under so much stress and you're very often multi-tasking alongside watching out for prolific offenders that are coming into stores.

"You go home with the stress - you can't sleep at night."

Often left to work on their own, she said there was an expectation in retail to tackle offenders, "or at least get some of the goods back".

As well as family groups, she said drug users were also a daily occurrence.

"They've got their habits, so that's why they're doing it, but they come in violently," the security worker added.

Sometimes shoplifters worked in groups, she said, with "someone waiting outside to give you a bit of a punch when you try and challenge the person that's leaving with a bag".

The MP explained she had written in Egan's defence "because I didn't think it was fair and also the number of comments I've had from local residents".

"So I'm asking them to look at this - he's a good guy from our local community, and I'm just urging them to reinstate him, review it," Morton said.

She said she had received an acknowledgement of her letter from the company, and was "hoping they'll reply in a positive way, because that's what we're all looking for".

Sean Egan, who had worked at the Aldridge store, near Walsall, for 29 years, was devastated when he was dismissed following an incident in December, after he intervened when a repeat shoplifter became abusive.

A spokesperson for the firm said its focus was "entirely on taking the correct action to ensure health and safety is maintained at all times".

The former store manager, who lives in Wolverhampton, said: "The support I've had from the nation is outstanding.

"I've worked there for a long time. I'm happy that I've been acknowledged by the people I served for so long. It has meant so much to me - I'm indebted to the people of Aldridge."

A Morrisons spokesperson has previously told the BBC the firm could not comment on individual cases, but that the health and safety of all colleagues and customers was of paramount importance.

They added: "We have very clear guidance, procedures and controls in place to protect our colleagues and customers from the risk of harm, which must be strictly followed.

"These include detailed procedures for handling shoplifting incidents, which are designed to protect both the colleague involved and surrounding colleagues and customers, and which seek to de‑escalate and calmly control the situation. We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk."

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