Trying To Help His Community Stay Safe, Employee Gets Fired For This Act Of Courage

Santino Burrola, the employee in question, noticed the theft in progress and immediately pulled out his phone to capture the incident on video. Burrola, a former military police officer, felt compelled to document the crime as it unfolded.

"When I looked, there was already a guy halfway headed out with a food cart full of laundry detergents and scent boosters and what have you," Burrola told CBS Colorado. "My first instinct, record."

In the now-viral video shared by the Arapahoe Sheriff's Office, Burrola can be heard expressing his disbelief at the thieves' actions. "Really, bro, you got to resort to this? The economy isn't that bad," he remarked. He also jokingly told the men, "Better gettin' while the gettin's good."

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As the three thieves hurried to load up a black Chevy Trax in the parking lot, Burrola managed to pull off a small act of defiance. He yanked a sheet of foil covering the license plate, hoping to aid in their identification.

After the men successfully fled the scene, Burrola promptly called the police and shared the video on social media to assist with the investigation.

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"So I posted it on TikTok, hoping that somebody would recognize them," Burrola explained. The video quickly gained traction, amassing 1.5 million views, including one from rapper Snoop Dogg.

However, when Burrola returned to work for his next shift, he was shocked to learn that he had been suspended. A week later, he was fired. "Me and the union rep sat down with them, and they recommended termination," Burrola said. "I would never let any criminal conduct slide, especially when it's happening right in front of me."

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Burrola maintains that he did not break any rules or physically engage with the thieves. He was simply trying to help the community by revealing the license plate.

"Did I feel that I overstepped boundaries? Not really because I didn't physically touch them or alter their shoplifting in any way. I just revealed the license plate to help the community be aware, the police be aware, and to help better catch them," Burrola told 9News.

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The Arapahoe Sheriff's Office has since identified and arrested the driver, Jorge Pantoja, who is currently in custody at the Adams County Detention Facility on unrelated felony charges.

Pantoja has also been charged with theft/shoplifting, a Class 2 misdemeanor. However, the police are still searching for the two passengers involved in the theft.

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During their investigation, the police contacted the registered owner of the vehicle, who had loaned it to a friend. The driver, Pantoja, was later located and arrested. According to the driver, he picked up two other males named Robert and Bugsy at the Light Rail station at I-25 and Belleview and offered them an opportunity to make some money.

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The supermarket chain, King Soopers, which operates in the Rocky Mountains and is a subsidiary of the Kroger Company, has a policy against employees chasing thieves or intervening in a theft.

In response to the incident, King Soopers issued a statement expressing their disappointment in the increased level of crime across retail establishments and the impact it has on their associates and customers.

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They emphasized their commitment to working with local law enforcement to address the issue and ensure the safety of their employees.

"We have security measures in place to help prevent crime and de-escalate such confrontations to minimize the risk to our associates," the statement read. "While we are unable to comment on personnel matters, we value our hardworking associates and their safe return home."

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Following his termination, Burrola's family created a GoFundMe page to help him recover lost wages. The page explains that Burrola was not given severance pay and had plans to move to Florida to be closer to family, which have now been put on hold due to his sudden unemployment.

The decision to fire Burrola has sparked outrage among many who believe he was simply doing his job and trying to protect the store's merchandise. Commenters on the GoFundMe page expressed their support for Burrola's actions and criticized the corporate policies that led to his termination.

"It is completely absurd that this dedicated employee, who was clearly doing his job in trying to protect his store's merchandise and assist the police in arresting these thieves, was fired due to the insane regulations these corporations have created regarding retail theft," one commenter wrote.

Another commenter echoed this sentiment, stating, "I can understand the 'do not physically engage' rule in order to prevent employees or innocent bystanders from being hurt, but the action this employee took was assisting the business, the community, and the police. He did not deserve to be fired by any means."

This incident is not the first time an employee has faced consequences for attempting to prevent theft. In May, two Lululemon employees in Georgia were fired after calling the police on three masked men who had previously stolen from the store multiple times.

The CEO of Lululemon, Calvin McDonald, defended the decision, citing the company's zero-tolerance policy for engaging during a theft.

Despite the backlash and the loss of his job, Burrola remains resolute in his actions. In a follow-up video posted on TikTok, he held an impromptu press conference, answering his own questions and addressing the criticism he received.

"I was limited to my abilities due to the fact that I was employed there," Burrola explained when asked why he didn't physically confront the thieves. He also addressed the racist comments he received, stating, "I didn't see color when I confronted them.

I've seen criminals, white, black, brown, purple. It didn't matter. A crime was being committed, and wrong is wrong, and a crime is a crime."

Burrola concluded his video by asserting his commitment to taking action when he witnesses a crime. "Let me tell you something, if something is happening right in front of me, I'm gonna make it my business," he declared.