A 68-year-old woman who was fired from her job at Lowe’s for attempting to stop an active robbery has been reinstated, according to a statement by a Lowe’s spokesperson.
Last month, according to RDP, three subjects went inside the Lowe’s store in Rincon, loaded multiple items into shopping carts, and exited the store without paying for the merchandise.
That’s when 13-year Lowe’s employee Donna Hansbrough attempted to stop one of the subjects by grabbing the shopping cart with the stolen merchandise. The cart that Hansbrough grabbed was in possession of subject Takyah Berry, who struck the employee in the face three times, causing her right eye to swell and blacken.
The total value of the merchandise that was stolen is $2,101, according to RPD.
Hansbrough was initially fired from Lowe’s after the incident for attempting to stop the theft, as the company reportedly stated that her action of grabbing the cart violated its policy of intervening with thefts.
Nearly a month later, Hansbrough was reinstated to her position at Lowe’s.
In a statement to the Effingham Herald, a Lowe’s spokesman said, “After senior management became aware of the incident and spoke to Donna Hansbrough today, we are reinstating her job and we are pleased that she has accepted the offer to return to Lowe’s. First and foremost, there’s nothing more important than the safety of our customers and associates. Products can be replaced; people cannot. We continue to work closely with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute those who are responsible for this theft and violent attack.”
In addition to Takyah Berry, the other two male subjects were identified as Jarmar Lawton and Joseph Berry. Joseph Berry and Takyah Berry are uncle and niece, RPD notes.
Lawton and Joseph Berry have since been apprehended. Takyah Berry, who committed a similar theft at Walmart in Chatham County shortly after this incident, remains at large.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Georgia Star News and The Star News Network.
Photo “Lowe’s Store” by Mike Kalasnik. CC BY-SA 2.0.
