A Best Buy security guard in California was fired after tackling an alleged criminal who was trying to flee from sheriff deputies.
Tyler, the security guard (no last name given), reacted after the suspect ran through the Roseville shopping plaza where the Best Buy is located.
Tyler, who is also an Army veteran, saw the suspect, Timothy Trujillo, 35, knocking down a deputy.
He jumped into action and tackled Trujillo to the ground. “He started running past me and I thought I was doing the right thing by stopping him,” Tyler told Fox 40.
Lt. Andrew Scott, spokesperson for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed that Tyler stopped the suspect, “preventing him from escaping.”
“Obviously, we are very grateful [Tyler] intervened,” Lt. Scott added to ABC 10. “Luckily no one was hurt. That’s our first and most pressing concern in something like this, but because he intervened we were able to catch this man and take him off the streets.”
But instead of rewarding Tyler for the heroic deed, Best Buy management decided to fire him.
“I understood that when I went back in there I was going to get into some type of trouble because Best Buy policy says we aren’t supposed to touch anybody,” he told Fox 40. One week later, he was given the bad news.
“My manager called me in and said corporate decided to let me go because I used excessive force and it was against Best Buy’s policy to intervene,” Tyler said.
Best Buy confirmed that the security guard was fired for stopping the alleged criminal.
#NEW: A security guard at Best Buy is seen in surveillance – tackling a suspect who punched a deputy while resisting arrest at this Roseville shopping center. The man was later arrested – but the security guard was fired for violating company policy. @FOX40 pic.twitter.com/U3SHsz9Zbj
— Charmaine Nero (@CNeroTV) January 27, 2019
“Our policy is clear, employees are not to chase potential criminals outside of the store. Chasing an individual in the parking lot creates a safety risk that isn’t worth taking, regardless of how noble an employee’s intention is,” Best Buy stated.
The sheriff’s office, meanwhile, said that Trujillo was wanted for numerous burglaries by the time he was caught.
“Trujillo struck one of the detectives and fled in an attempt to escape. After a short foot pursuit, they were able to get Trujillo under control and handcuffed. Trujillo and his car were searched and detectives found methamphetamine, stolen property, and burglary tools,” it said in a statement.
He was booked into the South Placer Jail and faces charges of assaulting and resisting a peace officer, possession of burglary tools, possession of methamphetamine, and burglary.
Recently, the Placer County Sheriff’s Special Operations team hunted down and arrested 35-year old Timothy Trujillo of…
Now that Tyler is unemployed, this may be a chance to get a job working for the sheriff.
Kentucky Best Buy Employee Accused of Stealing
Also in Best Buy, a warehouse employee was arrested earlier in January for allegedly stealing from the company.
Perry Vincent, 20, allegedly stole $14,000 worth of electronics, police in Shepherdsville said.
That included 12 cell phones, four video games, and five pairs of headphones.
Shepherdsville Best Buy warehouse employee accused of stealing electronics worth $14K… https://t.co/plAxs9LDYN pic.twitter.com/5SY6JGQKbF
— WDRB News (@WDRBNews) January 24, 2019
Investigators said he used a unique method.
“He used totes that they use to move merchandise around the warehouse,” Maj. Mike O’Donnell told WDRB. “He stacked those at his work station to block the view of the cameras.”
Then, during breaks, Vincent would wrap up the stolen items, take them outside, and drop them on the other side of a fence. Later, before leaving work, he’d scoop up the items.
Vincent allegedly confessed to fencing the items to people “on the street.”