# Hero shopworker was sacked for tackling a shoplifter – after teens ran riot and attacked staff when Coles bosses ditched the supermarket’s security guards

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/hero-shopworker-was-sacked-for-tackling-a-shoplifter-after-teens-ran-riot-and-attacked-staff-when-coles-bosses-ditched-the-supermarkets-security-guards/
- Published: 2026-10-28T04:58:09+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-28T05:48:21+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16240673/coles-worker-unfair-dismissal-shoplifter-payout-sydney.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: World

## Key points

- Coles worker receives almost A$6,500 after unfair dismissal ruling.
- Tribunal said the dismissal was harsh and unreasonable.
- The case raised concerns about staff responses to theft.

## Summary

A Coles worker in Sydney has won almost A$6,500 after a workplace tribunal found his dismissal for restraining a suspected shoplifter was harsh and unreasonable. The case highlights the tension between supermarket safety rules and staff responses to theft, particularly after security guards were removed.

Ryan Anderson, who had worked at the Pyrmont store for more than 10 years, was dismissed in December after holding a teenager for about two minutes and 20 seconds. The Fair Work Commission said Coles had a valid reason to dismiss him because his actions breached its safety policy, but found the penalty too harsh; Anderson said staff felt they had to tackle theft themselves amid alleged abuse and assaults.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.