A 56-year-old shop worker from Bootle, Merseyside, has been dismissed from her job after attempting to stop a woman she suspected of stealing bacon from the One Stop store where she worked. Eileen Fox, who had been employed by the chain since September 2022, said she intervened by grabbing the sleeve of the suspected thief’s coat, causing the woman to bump into a metal stand. Fox insisted no one was injured in the incident, which took place on 27 April 2026.
Fox was called to an investigatory meeting with senior managers the following day and suspended. Two weeks later, on 11 May, she received a letter from One Stop stating she had been dismissed. The letter, seen by the BBC, accused Fox of having “followed” the shoplifter and then “grabbed her and slammed her into a metal stand”. Fox disputed that characterisation, saying she had not followed the woman but had approached her as she was taking items from a shelf, and had only taken hold of her sleeve. She described the incident as “completely out of character” and said she believed a final written warning would have been more appropriate. “What message does this send to the thieves? Come on in, help yourselves, the staff in the shop can’t touch you, cause then they’ll be punished while you get away scot‑free,” she said in a social media post.
Store policy on staff intervention
A spokesperson for One Stop said the company’s priority was the safety of customers and colleagues, and that stores should be a safe place to work and shop. “We ask our colleagues never to risk their own safety, and we provide clear training to all colleagues on how best to respond to any incidents,” the spokesperson said, adding that the retailer had invested in extra security measures and worked closely with the police to prevent incidents. The policy reflects a widespread approach among UK retailers, who generally advise staff against confronting shoplifters because of liability concerns, the potential for violence, and the cost of lawsuits. Instead, employees are trained to disengage and contact law enforcement. The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) provides guidance on disciplinary procedures, emphasising the need for a fair investigation, informing the employee of the allegations, holding a meeting, and offering a right of appeal. While theft is typically treated as gross misconduct and can lead to dismissal, employers are expected to follow fair procedures.
Rise in shoplifting and similar dismissals
The case is the latest in a series of high‑profile incidents in which retailers have disciplined staff for intervening against shoplifters, even as the problem of retail theft worsens. Recorded shoplifting offences across the UK have surged to more than 530,000 in the year to March 2025 – the highest level since 2002/03. The rise has been attributed partly to organised gangs, and the financial cost to the retail industry is estimated at £400 million annually.
Similar cases have drawn public criticism. Waitrose sacked Walker Smith, an employee of 17 years, after he stopped a shoplifter who had ransacked a display of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter eggs. Smith grabbed the bag from the thief; in the ensuing scuffle the bag split and he threw a piece of a broken egg out of frustration. Despite his long service he was dismissed, prompting an outcry – and Iceland later offered him a job. In the Morrisons case, store manager Sean Egan, who had worked for the supermarket for 29 years, was fired after tackling a repeat shoplifter who became aggressive and spat at him while being escorted from the store in Aldridge, near Walsall. Egan said he was acting in self‑defence and to protect others; Morrisons said it had followed proper procedures and that its priority was the health and safety of colleagues and customers.
Fox herself noted that the woman she stopped was “well known” in Bootle and claimed she had been stealing from the shop for years, including on a previous occasion when she had scaled the store’s counter. Local records show a history of shoplifting in the area: in 2013 a family was apprehended in a Bootle mini‑market for stealing bacon; in May 2026 a man was charged with theft from a Bootle shop after being spotted with drugs; and in 2022 a man was banned from multiple shops in Merseyside, including One Stop, for repeat offending.
“What message does this send to the thieves?” Fox asked after her dismissal. “Come on in, help yourselves, the staff in the shop can’t touch you, cause then they’ll be punished while you get away scot‑free.”
