A shop worker who was sacked for trying to challenge brazen shoplifters in a city supermarket has said the decision is 'bizarre'.
Damion Moon, 33, had run-ins on three separate occasions with shoplifters at an East of England Co-op in Norfolk over a few weeks.
Mr Moon, a team manager of seven and a half years, said he couldn't believe he was penalised for trying to protect the shop.
His attempts to stop shoplifters has led to him being dismissed, as he had not followed the company's procedures, with an appeal of this decision being rejected too.
He said: 'Co-op were just so cold in how they handled it - said I was fired and walked me out the door - like I was one of the criminals.
'It's disgusting really - there's no mandatory training for when you receive drunken or abusive behaviour.
Damion Moon (pictured), 33, had run-ins on three separate occasions with shoplifters at an East of England Co-op in Norfolk over a few weeks
'People can just walk in, steal whatever they want and leave again - there's nothing stopping a big group coming in and ransacking the place.
'But if you try to actually help protect the shop or anyone, you get dismissed.'
The company dismissed Mr Moon on May 15 after a disciplinary hearing focused on 'serious breaches' of security policy and procedures and failure to follow a reasonable management request.
Mr Moon said: 'I told them in my disciplinary hearing that it has been a bad week with three unprecedented incidents.
'On March 16, there was only myself and another colleague in the store. I was checking stock and looked at the cameras to tell my colleague I was going to take a break.
'I saw a man behind the kiosk filling his coat up with tobacco so I rushed out and my colleague was trying to stop him from taking anymore.
'I tried to de-escalate the situation by standing behind him but Co-Op said I blocked his exit so he couldn't leave and that was a serious security breach.'
In an incident on March 22, one of Mr Moon's colleagues was hit by a shoplifter after they successfully stole bottles of wine.
Mr Moon explained: 'A woman was filling her bag up with wine and smashed a bottle.
'I heard security on my headset and saw she was attempting to leave. As one of my colleagues confronted her, she was hit in the face during the altercation.
'Another colleague of mine asked if she should go after the shoplifter and even though I didn't tell her to go, she went anyway.
'I was told I'd put her life at risk by allowing her to leave the shop.'
In the last incident on March 29, Mr Moon was told that by taking three steps out of the shop to tell a shoplifter he had been banned, he had breached security.
He said: 'I noticed someone had been taking snack items, boxes of cereal that sort of thing.
'I took three steps out the shop to tell him he would be reported and would be banned from the store. They said it was a security breach.
'These shoplifters know they can get away with it so that's why they come and do it. There's nothing stopping them from turning up in one big group and raiding the place.'
Mr Moon lodged an appeal against his dismissal on May 22 - and was told on Tuesday that it had been denied.
He said: 'They said you knew the policies and we're not going to overturn the decision.
'It's bizarre that I would be penalised for trying to protect the shop.
'I've got a clean record and never had disciplinary before.
Mr Moon had been a team manager of the branch in Norfolk (pictured) for seven and a half years
'I told them its unfair - they never spoke to me about the incidents individually, they put all of them into one hearing.
'I've not had the mandatory training to deal with abuse and drunken behaviour - their training is make your presence known and don't approach, but what do you do when someone is assaulted or someone gets behind a kiosk?'
Mr Moon added that he has applied for universal credit to cover his loss of earnings.
He said: 'I'm lucky that I have savings to tide me over but I have bills to pay, rent and a car. If I don't find work in the next couple of months I could end up losing everything.'
An East of England Co-op spokeswoman said: 'While we're unable to comment on individual cases, we prioritise people over property.
'The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and customers is one of our top priorities, and our policies are designed to protect them both.
'Failing to follow these procedures can put everyone at risk.
'We regularly remind our colleagues of these policies and the support available to them, but they shouldn't put themselves, or others, in harm's way when dealing with shoplifting.'
