Sam Amico
A King Soopers employee in Colorado has been canned after recording three shoplifters stealing what amounted to about $500 in laundry detergent then posting the video.
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Santino Burrola said he recorded the theft on his phone and was able to clear a sheet of foil covering the license plate for the getaway car. But apparently, the supermarket chain’s higher-ups viewed Burrola as anything but a hero — and fired him.
“When I looked there was already a guy halfway headed out with a food cart full of laundry detergents and scent boosters and what have you,” Burrola told CBS Colorado. “My first instinct, record.”
The video revealed that the getaway driver started to take off too soon, with the other thieves struggling to get in the vehicle. That allowed Burrola to rip the foil off the plate.
“So I posted it on TikTok, hoping that somebody would recognize them,” he said.
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What makes his dismissal so unfortunate is that authorities have indicated Burrola’s video has assisted with the investigation.
“Me and the union rep sat down with them and they recommended termination,” Burrola said. “I would never let any criminal conduct slide, especially when it’s happening right in front of me.”
Burrola did not touch nor attempt to keep the thieves from leaving
“Did I feel that I overstepped boundaries? Not really because I didn’t physically touch them or alter their shoplifting in any way, I just revealed the license plate to help the community to be aware, the police be aware and to help better catch them,” Burrola told 9News.
Police were able to apprehend the driver of the vehicle, though the other two suspects remain at large.
“Investigators have already identified and arrested the driver, Jorge Pantoja, 32, the man in the green shirt,” the Arapahoe Sherriff’s Office said in a statement. “Pantoja is currently in custody at the Adams County Detention Facility on unrelated felony charges. He has also been charged with Theft/Shoplifting, a Class 2 Misdemeanor.”
King Soopers has a policy against employees chasing thieves.
“We are disappointed by the increased level of crime across retail establishments and the impact these incidents have on our associates and customers. We remain committed to working in partnership with local law enforcement to address this issue, as safety remains a top priority,” King Soopers said in a statement to CBS Colorado.
“We have security measures in place to help prevent crime and de-escalate such confrontations to minimize the risk to our associates. While we are unable to comment on personnel matters, we value our hardworking associates and their safe return home,” the statement concluded.
