Grocery store worker fired after apprehending thief who stole woman's purse

A Vermont grocery worker who apprehended a would-be purse thief during his shift has been fired, it's reported.

20-year-old Amir Shedyak had worked at a Hannaford supermarket in his hometown of Essex and was even employee of the month, according to the New York Post.

As he was starting a shift at the grocery store back in August, he was approached by a man, who told him that a woman had just been robbed. “And he was like — an old lady’s purse just got stolen,” Shedyak, who is also a local volunteer fireman, told CBS affiliate station WCAX3.

Watch this news report all about the incident right here:

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He said that his immediate instinct was to jump in and try to help. “I look to my right and I see a gentleman running across the parking lot and he had the purse in his hand.”

Shedyak said he grabbed the would-be thief from behind and held him down, retrieving the purse in the process. As he was calling the police, the suspect was able to escape, he explained.

“She was trying to offer me money. ‘I don’t want your money, just wanted to help you out, do what’s right,’” Shedyak recalled to WCAX3.

Police later confirmed that the man Shedyak stopped, 29-year-old Adrian Moore, had been found and charged with larceny, per the New York Post.

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In a post shared to Facebook, Shedyak wrote:

"I got fired from Hannafords after working there for four years. I started out as a bagger and worked my way up to the post of a shift leader.

"Throughout the years working at Hannafords, I was trained in many departments such as the kitchen, deli and hannaford to go. I was March employee of the month for coming to work on time, covering shifts when needed, and going above and beyond to help customers in any way possible.

"I had just arrived into work as usual, I clocked in and went on with my day.

"I was flagged down by an associate and asked what was wrong, he said an elderly lady’s purse had been stolen. I quickly sprung into action and ran outside.

"There were many people outside due to witnessing the act of crime. I asked which way the thief went and chased after him, I was able to subdue him and get the purse back to the elderly lady. She was beyond grateful!

"A few days later I went back to work like usual, except this time I got called into my managers office. I was told that I would be suspended due to an ongoing investigation of the incident."

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Shedyak continued:

"A week later I received a phone call that the investigation was done and I could come into work for the results.

"The outcome resulted in me getting fired due to safety issues while on company time.

"I have no hard feelings towards my coworkers/ managers or the establishment. I just feel that what I had done was not wrong and should not have resulted in me being fired. Please keep sharing !!!"

Pietro Lynn, a local attorney who is not involved with the case, told WCAX3, “It is not uncommon at all for employers to discourage employees from laying hands on customers”.

"There are many cases in Vermont where employers are held responsible for the wrongful acts of their employees,” he continued.

But Shedyak took a different view of events. "Why should it make a difference that, hey, I’m clocked in now -- he’s in trouble. If I wasn’t clocked in -- oh, you did a good job," he said.