(Shop)lifted To A Less Aggressive State

(It is back when major video rental chains are still in business. We have a regular known shoplifter hit us and neighboring stores recently, and he walks in to my store. It is a Saturday night, and we are slammed, so before I can go and watch him, he is already trying to go out our entrance door, which lacks sensors.)

Me: “Sir, you need to go out the exit. That’s an entrance-only.”

Shoplifter: “I just have to run to my car and get my wallet…”

Me: “Okay, but you need—”

(And with that, he is gone out the door. Luckily, I’m not the only manager on tonight.)

Me: *to coworker* “I’m gonna take a smoke break real fast.”

(I proceed to walk out to the parking lot, which is huge because it is in a shopping center. I see the man and start following him.)

Me: “Man, it is a nice night tonight, don’t you think?”

(He doesn’t respond, but I continue to try and chat while following him. Suddenly he starts jogging, and I follow. He then starts throwing carts in my way as I run behind him. After another few minutes, he stops, turns around, and pulls back his fist! I am not a muscular or tall guy, and I can only react instinctively, which is to shrug my shoulders, look at him, and say:)

Me: “Really?”

Shoplifter: *taken aback* “Well, what do we do now?”

Me: “Well, if you drop all the stuff you have on you, I’ll be too busy picking it up to even see where you go…”

(By this point, his getaway car was honking and yelling obscenities. After about thirty seconds, he opened up his jacket and dropped around $400 worth of pre-rented games. True to my word, I took my time getting them as he took off. Later, I get scolded by my manager for going after them and potentially getting hurt, but she laughed about how my reaction was enough to shock the shoplifter out of his aggressive state. Needless to say, he never came back after that.)