[Dion]

It cost him his job at a Round Rock Randalls, but Troy Schafer, who was fired last week after chasing a purse snatcher out of the grocery store, said he didn't have much choice.

A U.S. Army veteran who said he spent some time in South Korea in the 1990s, Schafer, 36, took up the chase with help from a customer, he said.

The customer called police as Schafer collected Welch's purse, which had already been gone through and dropped in the field near some trees. Then Schafer chased the suspect for about another quarter-mile before police caught up and arrested the 15-year-old.

"We got (Welch) her purse back, all of her money, everything," Schafer said. "Then, the next day, my loss prevention unit from Randalls came in and said I was suspended without pay."

A few days later, Schafer said, he was fired.

"In a split-second decision, when someone is screaming for help, what do you do?" he asked. "I did what I thought was right. I still feel like I did the right thing. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror the next day if I didn't help that lady."

http://www.statesman.com/news/conten...8randalls.html