California Big Lots managers claim they were fired for chasing down stolen merchandise

A sign is posted in front of a Big Lots retail store on August 28, 2020 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A manager at a Big Lots store in California claimed she and her colleague were fired after wrangling back a shopping cart from an alleged shoplifter who made off with a haul of laundry detergent.Lily Oxford said she and another manager were trying to recover the shopping cart after a homeless man left the store in Bakersfield without paying for 17 jugs of Tide pods last month, according to local NBC affiliate KGET.The managers were trying to maintain their dwindling supply of carts without even attempting to recover the stolen merchandise, Oxford told the local outlet."For Christmas, we had just got 40 brand new carts," said Oxford, who managed the store's furniture department. "It’s March, we’re down to five carts.

So, we are instructed, no carts are to leave that store whatsoever. No matter… customers are not allowed to take it."LOS ANGELES POLICE ANNOUNCE 18 ARRESTS IN MASSIVE ORGANIZED RETAIL THEFT RING DAY AFTER NEW SHERIFF SWORN INThe thief reportedly had to drag the cart to his alleged getaway car because the cart's wheels locked when he left the store.When the Big Lots managers caught up with him, he was loading the pilfered detergent into the car as they began recording the incident on their phones, according to KGET.The shoplifter was reportedly flustered that he was being recorded and ran away from the car, but the driver who was with him apologized to the managers when they arrived."The other guy got out of his car and said, ‘Here, ma’am, take it all, take it all,’" Oxford said. "I’m thinking, ‘Oh great, I’m getting all my stuff back.’"CALIFORNIA BUSINESS OWNER CLOSES.