"Unacceptable": MEC bans loss prevention officer after customer choked (VIDEO)

Mountain Equipment Co-op tells Daily Hive it’s banned a loss prevention officer from its premises after an incident in the Vancouver store where a customer was pushed to the ground and choked.

MEC CEO Eric Claus said the loss-prevention officer is an employee of a third-party company that provides security at the store at Quebec Street and East 2nd Avenue and that he’s now been removed from working at MEC locations.

“The actions of… the loss prevention officer were unacceptable,” Claus said. “We apologize for these actions, and MEC does not condone this behaviour.”

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MEC is also reviewing the policies of the third-party company to prevent another similar incident in the future.

The customer alleged he was assaulted and then kicked out of the Mount Pleasant store while trying to return a Yeti cooler.

Video of the incident shows the loss prevention officer grabbing the green-shirted customer by the waist as he states, “I’m calm. I’m listening, you’re not listening.”

The loss prevention officer then shoves the customer to the floor and places both hands on his neck — appearing to choke him.

Im tweeting this on behalf of my friend , whom doesnt have tweeter account and wants to shout out his voice to all consumers: @MEC pic.twitter.com/OZSpPKG4e1

— melissa (@melissaneshat) June 19, 2023

Daily Hive has asked the customer for an interview but has not yet heard back.

Vancouver Police Department media relations officer Tania Visintin told Daily hive that the force is investigating the incident. She said VPD’s reports indicate that the struggle ensued when the customer tried to return merchandise that was three years old.