Waitrose worker sacked for tackling shoplifter offered job by rival supermarket Iceland

Waitrose worker sacked for tackling shoplifter offered job by rival supermarket IcelandWalker Smith, 54, was sacked from Waitrose after being sacked for trying to stop an Easter Egg shoplifter - but has now had a public job offer from another supermarketNewsBenedict Tetzlaff-Deas News Reporter10:36, 07 Apr 2026View ImageWalker Smith was sacked from Waitrose after 17 years(Image: Facebook)A Waitrose employee who was sacked for tackling a shoplifter has been offered a new job at a rival supermarket.‌Walker Smith, who worked for Waitrose for 17 years, said he was "crying inside" after being dismissed last week for trying to prevent a thief from making off with multiple boxes of Lindt Gold Bunny Easter Eggs, which are priced at £13 each.‌But the 54-year-old now has the chance to take a job at frozen food giant Iceland, whose boss took to social media to extend a public offer.‌Lord Richard Walker, Iceland boss, wrote to him on X (formerly Twitter): “You’re welcome to a job with us. We even share the same name…”Speaking after Mr Smith was dismissed, a Waitrose spokesperson said: "The safety and security of our Partners and customers couldn't be more important to us, and we have policies in place to protect both.‌"We've had incidents where our Partners have been hospitalised when challenging shoplifters. Luckily, they have always recovered, but that might not always be the case."There is a serious danger to life in tackling shoplifters. We refuse to put anyone's life at risk and that's why we have policies in place that are very clearly understood and must be strictly followed."As a responsible employer, we never want to be in a position where we are notifying families of a tragedy because someone tried to stop a theft. Nothing we sell is worth risking lives for.Article continues below"The reporting on this does not cover the full facts of the situation. While we would never be able to discuss an individual case, we ca...