Sean Egan (46) was dismissed in April from the Morrisons supermarket in Aldridge north of Birmingham, after nearly 30 years of service. He had worked in the shop since he was 17 years old and had been promoted to store manager.

The reason for the dismissal was that Egan, on 3 December last year, stopped a well-known repeat offender in the shoplifting trade with at least one hundred convictions behind him, Daniel Kendall, when he once again attempted to leave the shop with goods without paying for them – including two bottles of Jack Daniel’s. According to Egan, the thief became aggressive, spat at him, and a physical confrontation arose in which “their heads collided” when Egan attempted to escort him out.

The company shields itself behind an insensitive managerial language

The shoplifter claimed that Egan had attacked him, and the shop dismissed him after 29 years of service because he had not followed the company’s guidelines of “deter and not detain” – that is, to deter thieves, but not physically intervene. The company maintains that the police should handle such matters.

🚨MORRISONS STAFF MEMBER SACKED FOR STOPPING SHOPLIFTER

Sean Egan has worked there for for 29 years

An aggressive repeated shoplifter was threatening staff and Sean stepped in to deal with him

NOW HE'S LOST HIS JOB

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU @Morrisons ? pic.twitter.com/hnWKiXJbis

— Basil the Great (@BasilTheGreat) April 22, 2026

The company hides behind a dense, impenetrable managerial language:

– We have very clear guidelines, procedures and controls in place to protect our colleagues and customers from the risk of harm, which must be strictly followed. These include detailed procedures for handling shop thefts, which are in place to protect both the colleague involved and colleagues and customers nearby, and which are intended to de-escalate and calmly control the situation. We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk. As a responsible employer, our focus is entirely on taking the right measures to ensure that health and safety are maintained at all times.

– He should receive a medal from the King, not lose his job

The case has triggered a strong popular reaction in the Walsall area. There have been demonstrations outside the shop and several hundred people have publicly supported Egan:

– Men like Sean Egan should receive a medal from the King, not lose their jobs, it says in a tweet.

Many customers have sworn that they will never again shop at any Morrisons branch. His local MP, Wendy Morton, has become involved, and Morrisons’ senior management has had to agree to meet Egan in order to discuss the matter.

Egan himself has described the situation as “life-destroying” and says he is “barely surviving” financially after losing the job he has held throughout his entire adult life.

SACKED AFTER 29 YEARS… for doing his job.

Morrisons has fired store manager Sean Egan, 46, after he confronted a shoplifter who had just spat in his face.

This happened at the Aldridge store near Walsall last December.

The thief a repeat offender turned abusive and tried to… pic.twitter.com/gF8ZZnk9zw

— Benonwine (@benonwine) April 21, 2026

The case has become a symbol of frustrated popular anger over increasing shoplifting, inadequate police efforts, and companies’ fear of confronting criminals.