Morrison’s worker sacked after tackling shoplifter says ‘you mean the world to me’ as crowd turns out in support

Locals showed up at a demo outside a Morrisons shop after a store manager was fired for tackling an aggressive repeat shoplifter

A Morrisons store manager sacked by the chain for tackling an aggressive shoplifter has thanked crowds who turned up to demand he get his job back.

Sean Egan, 46, said he had worked for the supermarket chain for 29 years but was dismissed after he attempted to stop a repeat shoplifter from leaving the shop, in Aldridge, near Walsall. The controversial sacking has led to the local community gathering together at a demo outside the supermarket in support of the former store manager.

Mr Egan showed up at today’s protest and thanked the locals who have “backed him from the beginning”.

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The 46-year-old became involved in an altercation with career criminal Daniel Kendall who spat in his face and became aggressive inside the Morrisons shop.

A disciplinary hearing following the incident determined Mr Egan, from Wolverhampton, would be dismissed because he did not follow the chain’s deter-and-not-detain policy. Mr Egan, who started working at the chain while still at school, said he followed Morrisons’ protocol with a calm approach initially but Kendall started to spit at the manager.

Locals in Aldridge organised what they called a peaceful protest outside Morrisons Aldridge between 9am and midday on Saturday, April 25. A banner for the event called on the supermarket to: “Do the right thing – reinstate Sean Egan.”

A video from the demo showed Mr Egan turned up as supporters held up signs in support of the fired employee, and drivers honked in support of the cause.

Mr Egan, in the video, praised the locals and said: “People of Aldridge have backed me from the beginning. They’ve backed me for years and for this support today, for everybody turning up… I really appreciate it, thank you ever so much. You mean the world to me.”

He added that the area and customers were “very unique”, and said: “The people in Aldridge that have always supported me and have been an amazing group of people and it’s a beautiful village and I’ve worked in lots of stores and it’s very unique and thank you for everything you’ve done and are doing for me.”

A GoFundMe page set up for Mr Egan, by local customers of the Aldridge shop, has raised over £12,000 so far. The fundraiser said: “Now, Sean is facing one of the toughest challenges of his life.

“After decades of loyal service, he is taking his case to an employment tribunal to challenge what he believes is an unfair and disproportionate outcome. This isn’t just about one moment, it’s about fairness, loyalty, and standing up for what’s right.”

A spokesperson for Morrisons previously said: “We are continuing to take wide-ranging action to address the threat of shoplifting or violence in our stores.

“The health and safety of all colleagues and customers is of paramount importance to Morrisons. We have very clear guidance, 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 shoplifting incidents, which are in place to protect both the colleague involved and surrounding colleagues and customers, and which seek to de-escalate and calmly control the situation. We will not ask colleagues to put themselves at risk.” The Mirror has reached out to Morrisons for comment.