Lowe's fires elderly woman who was punched 3 times trying to stop robbery

A Georgia woman was fired from her job at Lowe's after she was brutally attacked by a group of thieves while attempting to intervene in a robbery at the store. 

Donna Hansbrough, 68, who worked at the Rincon Lowe's for 13 years, was fired from her post for reportedly "violating the store's policy," according to WSB.



According to police, three suspects entered the store in Rincon and stocked their cart with around $2,100 worth of goods, WSB reports.

While Hansbrough attempted to stop the thieves by grabbing the cart as they ran for the store's exit, the suspects allegedly punched her in the face three times, leaving her with a black eye, police said.

"The guy decided he wanted to be let go, so he punched me and grabbed my glasses as I still held onto the cart," Hansbrough told WTOC.

"He punched me again and again" she tearfully added.

The suspects have been identified and investigators say that two of the three thieves remain at-large. Police are searching for a male suspect identified as Joseph Berry and a female suspect identified as Takyah Berry, who is his niece, according to the outlet. A male suspect identified as Jarmar Lawton has been arrested and taken into custody.


 

Because of Lowe's strict company policy that prevents employees from intervening with criminals, Hansborough was terminated.

"They say that if you see somebody stealing something out the door, not to pursue, not to go out," Hansbrough told the Effingham Herald. 

"I just got tired of seeing things get out the door. I basically lost all the training. Everything they tell you to do, I just … I just lost it" she explained. 

"I didn’t expect to get terminated, maybe a reprimand or a suspension," Hansbrough said. "I'm going to look for a new job. I can't sit at home. I'm not that type of person."

Detective Vance from the Rincon Police Department told the Herald that Hansbrough had suffered "two traumatic events all at once with being violently attacked and losing her job, her happiness, her peace, all at the same time."

Police are asking anyone with further information on the whereabouts of the two suspects to contact police at 912-826-5200.