A 68-year-old Lowe’s employee was fired after she intervened with shoplifters in a store in Rincon, Georgia, according to WASB-TV.
Donna Hansbrough had worked for the store for 13 years. The Rincon Police Department posted the details of the incident on Facebook.
According to the department’s post, three individuals went into Lowe’s and filled shopping carts with $2,101 worth of items. Hansbrough grabbed one of the shopping carts in an attempt to deter the suspects.
Takyah Berry was in possession of that cart and, “After Donna grabbed the cart, BERRY struck Donna in the face three times causing Donna’s right eye to swell and blacken,” the department said.
Berry is still “at large” along with her uncle, Joseph Berry. Jarmar Lawton was apprehended.
The Rincon Police Department acknowledged Hansbrough was recently fired from Lowe’s and is asking for anyone with information on the suspects to contact them.
Hansbrough, meanwhile, told the Effingham Herald she understood Lowe’s policy not to interact with shoplifters. She said, “They say that if you see somebody stealing something out the door, not to pursue, not to go out.”
“I lost it,” she added. “I grabbed the cart. I don’t actually remember going out but I did. And I grabbed the cart that had the stolen items in (it).”
Hansbrough further explained what happened, “I just got tired of seeing things get out the door. I just … I lost it.”
“I basically lost all the training. Everything they tell you to do, I just … I just lost it,” she went on.
Hansbrough also noted, “I didn’t expect to get terminated.”
She said she expected some form of reprimand but not to lose her job. But she did admit that she is looking ahead and stated, “I’m going to look for a new job. I can’t sit at home. I’m not that type of person.”
