68-Year-Old Store Employee Gets Punched Trying to Stop 3 Thieves – Boss Fires Her After

• A long-time employee of Lowe's was fired for intervening in a shoplifting heist.
• The employee, Donna Hansbrough, was left with a bruised face after the thieves punched her several times.
• Donna was forced to look for new employment as much as she loved her job at Lowe's.

A Lowe's employee was fired from her job after she attempted to stop a gang of thieves from making way with valued goods during a shoplifting heist on June 2023. The heist left the employee with a black eye.

Donna Hansbrough wanted to stop the thieves from making off with an excess of $2,000 worth of goods from the store she worked in, in Rincon, Georgia. But the thieves hit Donna repeatedly in the face.

Donna's attempts to stop the thieves were heroic, but it cost her job of 13 years at Lowe's. As an employee, she violated the company's policy that states staff who witness crimes such as shoplifting in the store must not intervene but should call the authorities.

The employee narrated what happened and explained why she chose to intervene despite knowing the company's policy. She also shared the steps she plans to take now that her long-time employment has been terminated.

What Happened during the Heist?

Donna worked at Lowe's for over 13 years and showcased her commitment to her work and the store's well-being. Her coworkers and community members describe her as a dependable and devoted employee.

Donna revealed that she started at Lowe's as a cashier but was moved to a live-nursery specialist when her employers realized she knew a lot about plants. "My father worked at a nursery and I just kind of tagged along when I was little. And I was just a customer service associate with live plants," she explained.

The company added that they would continue working closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the people who were responsible for the theft and violent attack on Donna.

The employee worked as a live-nursery specialist until the position was terminated. However, everything about her employment remained the same except the title, which was taken away.

The 68-year-old's recent act of bravery went viral when she courageously attempted to stop a gang of shoplifters from making away with stolen merchandise. Donna said she grabbed one of the thieves, but he reacted violently:

"The guy decided he wanted to be let go, so he punched me and grabbed my glasses as I still held onto the cart. He punched me again and again."

The thief punched Donna in her face, and her eye suffered swelling, discoloration, and blackened. Even a month after the incident occurred, Donna's eyes were still on the path to healing.

Donna admitted that Lowe's policy says if an employee sees someone stealing something and walking away, they shouldn't pursue it but let them go. However, the employee was frustrated and tired of seeing things being stolen, so she lost it, forgot everything about her training, and intervened.

The former Lowe's employee said she didn't expect that the company would fire her for violating this policy. She had just hoped to get a reprimand or a suspension. But now that she was fired, Donna said she wouldn't just sit at home as she wasn't that kind of person and would start looking for a new job.

A GoFundMe campaign was set up to help Donna survive and pay her bills as she looked for a new job. The organizers of the campaign also stated that Lowe's owed Donna a raise and her job back as a reward for her heroic actions. The campaign's goal was to raise $7,000, and it has been surpassed, raising $25,110.

Authorities have also identified the suspects involved in the shoplifting heist. As per Rincon Police Department, the suspects are one female, Takyah Berry, and two males, Jarmar Lawton, and Joseph Berry. The police said the total value of the merchandise stolen was $2,101.

The police also revealed that the cart Donna grabbed was in the possession of Takyah and that she was the one who punched the employee three times in the face. Joseph and Takyah were reportedly uncle and niece, respectively.

Jarmar is already under arrest, but the Rincon Police Department appealed to the public to reach out if they know the whereabouts of Takyah and her uncle Joseph. Donna said she was willing to testify if the suspects would be taken to trial. She added that if the police need her, she will be there.

What Happened after the Employee Was Fired?

On July 24, 2023, Lowe's announced that they had reinstated Donna. The company, which had previously refused to comment on the matter, released a statement to this effect. The company said that after the senior management was made aware of what happened, they chose to give Donna her job back.

Lowe's senior management said they had spoken to Donna and that she had already accepted an offer to return to work. "First and foremost, there's nothing more important than the safety of our customers and associates," the statement read. This statement was signed by Larry Costello, senior manager of corporate communication at Lowe's.

The statement also noted that products stolen in their stores could always be replaced, but people aren't replaceable. The company added that they would continue working closely with law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute the people who were responsible for the theft and violent attack on Donna.

Donna, who was violently attacked and lost her job and peace at the same time, can now breathe easily and put a hold on her job search as she goes back to work at Lowe's, a place she said she loved working.

Here's a story of a 90-year-old woman who hadn't missed a single day of work in 74 years. She cried when she finally retired.

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