Safeway fires guard for banning 4-year-old girl

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For one security guard at a Washington state Safeway, 4-year-old Savannah Harp was just another criminal.

During a recent shopping trip to the Everett grocery story, the cute little girl opened a box of dried fruit while her dad wasn’t paying attention.

But one eagle-eyed security guard spotted the “shoplifting” tot and was determined to make her face justice.

“She grabbed a bag of apricots – dried apricots – opened them, ate a couple, put it back and the security guard watched her do it,” Savannah’s mother, Alissa Jones, told KOMO.

“He proceeded to tell them, ‘Your daughter stole and she’s banned from the store, and we’re pressing charges. And she needs to sign this form saying she understands she can’t come into any Safeways,’” Jones recalled.

Of course, the little girl can’t read or write, but the guard insisted she scribbled on the paper anyway.

Safeway spokesperson Cherie Myers said that the store expected guards to use common sense when enforcing their shoplifting policy.

“We are as appalled as the parent is,” she explained. “Our division president was absolutely appalled, called the mom and apologized.”

The grocery store chain has since fired the guard.