'Security guard in hot water over treatment of 4-year-old shoplifter' (video)

Security guard in hot water over treatment of 4-year-old shoplifter
By Joel Moreno Published: Nov 23, 2011 at 8:43 PM PST Last Updated: Nov 24, 2011 at 9:58 PM PST



EVERETT, Wash. -- A Safeway security guard is taking heat for the way he questioned a 4-year-old shoplifter in Everett.

Little Savannah Harp recently took a trip to the grocery store with her dad. While they were shopping, Savanna took a package of dried fruit from a shelf.

"She grabbed a bag of apricots - dried apricots - opened them, ate a couple, put it back and the security guard watched her do it," said the girl's mother, Alissa Jones.

Savannah's father didn't notice his daughter's sticky fingers, but a store security guard did.

The guard stopped the pair as they left the store and led them back to a break room.

"He proceeded to tell them, 'Your daughter stole and she's banned from the store, and we're pressing charges. And she needs to sign this form saying she understands she can't come into any Safeways,'" Jones said.

Savannah can't read or write, but the guard, whom Safeway had hired under contract, had her scribble on the paper just the same.

"It's pretty troubling," Jones said. "It's not like she even knows what she was doing."

Savannah's parents aren't the only ones concerned about the way the situation was handled. Company officials said they are outraged by the incident and have fired the security guard.

"Our policies on shoplifting are intended to protect our customers, but built on common sense. And everyone understands what common sense is," said company spokesperson Cherie Myers. "We are as appalled as the parent is. Our division president was absolutely appalled, called the mom and apologized."

tmontyb wrote:LOL! The security guard went overboard. He should have just spoken to the father and let him know what the kid had done. Then I would hope the parents would teach their child that was she did was wrong. Opening food in a store, eating it and not paying for it is stealing. Point blank. No cleaning that up.