Best Buy Heroes Fired for Saving the Day
DENVER (CBS4) Proving no good deed goes unpunished, two Best Buy employees have been fired after foiling a burglary.
It happened Aug. 1 at the Best Buy in Broomfield, Colo.
Jared Bergstreser, 20, and Colin Trapp, 23, were on duty in the Asset Protection Unit near the front doors when a shoplifter grabbed some mobile phones and computer hard drives and made a run for the door.
"I just kind of reacted, tackled him ... and ended up on the sidewalk with him" said Bergstreser.
Trapp ran outside to help.
"At that point I was looking out for the best interest of my co-worker and the safety of my co-worker," Trapp said. "So I kind of grabbed the guy by his shoulders and tried to restrain him, because I didn't want to get anybody hurt."
As it turned out, somebody did get hurt. The suspect pulled out a knife and slashed at the fingers of a manager who had come outside to help. The thief broke away and fled in a car. Jared and Colin were soon told to leave as well. Best Buy fired them apparently because the two employees physically confronted the shoplifter.
Bergstreser acknowledged that tackling a customer was against company policy, even shoplifters. Trapp complained his firing was unfair.
"I feel if I'm looking out for the well-being and safety of a co-worker, I feel like that should be recognized as 'way-to-go,'" he said.
Bergstreser had worked at the store for nearly 3 years. Trapp said he was in asset protection for about 6 months.
The manager involved was not fired.
CBS4 Denver called Best Buy for a comment but the company has not yet responded.
Story Contributed by CBS4 Denver Reporter Raj Chohan
Raj Chohan is an award-winning general assignment reporter and the driving force behind CBS4 Denver's critically acclaimed news franchise "Reality Check." He also hosts KBDI's flagship public affairs roundtable "Colorado Inside Out."