In California, two employees of a 7-Eleven store took a bold stand against a would-be thief, using a stick to beat him as he attempted to steal a trash can filled with tobacco products.
A video capturing the incident reveals one worker holding the robber down while the other strikes him approximately 25 times with what appears to be a broomstick.
The thief’s cries of “Okay, okay!” are heard as he begs for mercy.
Prior to being subdued, the robber had casually walked behind the store’s register with a 20-gallon trash can, nonchalantly filling it with cigarettes, cigars, and vapes. Off-camera, the workers can be heard pleading with him to stop.
A bystander who filmed the incident is heard saying, “Just let him go. There ain’t nothing you can do. They’re not going to do nothing,” possibly alluding to a nationwide trend of shoplifters brazenly stealing goods.
The situation escalated when the thief tried to push past one of the workers, who was dressed in green and black. The employee tackled the robber to the floor, allowing his co-worker to deliver 23 forceful blows with the stick.
During a brief pause in the beating, the other employee landed a punch on the robber’s upper back, causing him to knock over his stolen goods.
The bystander cheered on the workers, shouting, “That’s called whoopin’ your a–! Whoop his a–! Get him!” before asking the thief if he was ready to abandon his criminal attempt.
The robber’s plea of “Yeah, I’m done! I’m going to go” did not stop the stick-wielding employee from landing two more hits, despite the bystander’s calls to stop.
In follow-up videos, the employees debated calling the police but ultimately decided to let the thief leave without his loot.
The bystander then confronted the thief, warning him never to return to the 7-Eleven or attempt theft again. When the thief claimed he was too injured to walk, the bystander dismissed his complaints, leading him out of the store.
The thief’s audacious request for a soda was met with a stern refusal and a curt, “Get the f–k out, man.”
The incident is believed to have occurred in Stockton, California, although the police department had not been informed of it as of Wednesday night. 7-Eleven did not respond to requests for comment.
This event is part of a larger, concerning trend of organized retail theft affecting cities nationwide. Recent statistics from the National Retail Federation show that retail theft in America has surged to $94 billion, a staggering 90% increase since 2018. Other incidents, such as the theft of $700,000 in merchandise from a Bay Area family hardware store, highlight the severity of this growing problem.
Sikh grocery store owner was told that "there ain't nothing you can do" repeatedly and that "ayy, just let him go" as they were being robbed. The Sikhs disagreed. pic.twitter.com/ZIb5CVLMNl
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 2, 2023