A pregnant California hardware store employee went full mama bear when she chased down a suspected thief and wrestled back a massive air-conditioning unit.
Surveillance footage from an Ace Hardware store in Palmdale on Friday, Aug. 28, shows the expectant worker pursuing the would-be thief after the person walked out of the store carrying a giant box over their shoulder.
The box reportedly contained an air-conditioning unit the person was allegedly trying to make off with without paying.
But the suspected theft was far from a done deal.
The action moved into the parking lot, where the pregnant employee caught up with the person just as they were trying to load the bulky box into a vehicle parked outside the store.
She grabbed onto the package and refused to let go.
After a tug-of-war, the employee eventually wrestled the air-conditioning unit away from the alleged thief, who was unable to drive off with the merchandise.
The footage then shows the determined worker casually heading back into the store with the enormous package in one hand.
Later asked why she took such a risk, the employee said she “acted on instinct,” according to KTLA.
Her boss, however, made clear that employees are not expected to play hero when merchandise is stolen.
“We don’t promote or ask our employees to go after thefts, let alone risk their lives,” the manager said in a statement to the outlet.
The boss also said his employee deserved some kind of reward for her actions.
“But on the other hand, this woman deserves a medal for her courage and valor,” the statement to the outlet added.
It is unclear what happened to the person who reportedly attempted to take off with the air conditioning unit without paying or whether the police were ever called out.
The California Post reached out to the Palmdale Sheriff’s station for more information.
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