NewsChannel 5.com - Nashville, Tennessee - Employee Fired After Catching Crook

Employee Fired After Catching Crook

MURFREESBORO, Tenn.- He lost his job, but he gained national exposure. An employee was fired by Home Depot for restraining a would-be crook. Now Dustin Chester gets a chance to share his story on national radio.

Dustin Chester, 24, got plenty of exposure after he was terminated this week for violating Home Depot policy. Chester and a store manager pinned a man to the ground until police arrived. The man was suspected of stealing $61.00 from a Coke machine.

"Ya know, I locked him up a little bit. Ya know, wasn't hurting him, just holding him so he wasn't going to hit me or pull something out and get me," said Chester. "And Rusty was pretty much holding him down on his back. And I had my arm on him like this -- waiting for the cops," he continued.

Home Depot said that is against store policy, and store employees are taught to never pursue shoplifters.  Chester said that sends the wrong message.

"I mean, what does it show criminals? Ok, come to Home Depot. You can take whatever you want. I mean, I can't do anything to you. Have a nice day! That's pretty much what I was told to do. After I said, 'what was I supposed to do in this situation?' They told me that I was supposed to walk away," explained Chester.

Home Depot fired Chester and his store manager, Rusty Miller; and Home Depot is not budging on that policy.  Home Depot said the situation is unfortunate, but emphasized that neither man was qualified to restrain shoplifters. According company policy, that job should have been left to police and loss prevention.

"I mean, I'm not looking for my job back. I'm not looking for any money.  I just want people to see how I was treated," said Chester.

Home Depot said its employees are trained implicitly not to pursue shoplifters. Chester said he doesn't remember ever reading or hearing about such a policy.

Home Depot said they will likely not press charges against the man suspected of breaking into the Coke machine.