In a shocking incident, Waitrose employee Walker Smith, 54, a 17-year veteran, was sacked after a scuffle with a suspected shoplifter at the Clapham Junction branch. Smith attempted to retrieve a bag of luxury Lindt Easter eggs, resulting in a struggle that left the suspect breaking the merchandise before fleeing.
The main reason is that Waitrose sacked Smith for breaching the company’s strict policy which prohibits staff from confronting shoppers. The supermarket chain underlines that “not everything we sell is worth risking lives” and that their priority is to prevent potential tragedies involving staff. Smith cited frustration and desperation as his motives and claimed that he had witnessed shoplifting “every hour of every day” for five years with little intervention.
He also said that security had been reduced on some days due to under-reporting of incidents. The incident underlines a sharp rise in retail crime: official figures show there were 519,381 shoplifting offenses recorded in England and Wales by September 2025 – a 5% increase on the previous year.
In this regard, retail director Thinas Kiev has publicly criticized London’s leadership, warning that a lack of effective policing has left retailers powerless. Following a series of violent attacks, the supermarket is reportedly preparing to issue knife jackets to its security staff. Waitrose and other retailers are campaigning for retail crime to be classified as a specific standalone offense to provide legal protection to shop staff.
