NY State Man Fired for Redeeming $5.10 Worth of Empty Cans

The story has outraged many.

Thomas Smith worked for a Walmart Supercenter in East Greenbush, NY. The 52 year-old Albany man gathered shopping carts from the parking lot for $9 an hour. That was until he was fired for simply redeeming $5.10 worth of empty cans and bottles that had been thrown across the lot.

According to the Times Union in Albany, Smith picked up the garbage for more than two months until Nov. 6, when he was fired for redeeming $5.10 worth of empty cans and bottles he found discarded on two occasions.

Smith was called into the security office and interrogated by a manager and two security staff members. Smith said he didn't know that you were not allowed to take the bottles and trash. He claims that he was then asked to turn his store badge by the manager without being allowed to defend himself.

The store manager said that surveillance cameras caught Smith redeeming the empty bottles and cans at the store, which constitutes theft of Walmart property.

The Times Union reports the manager asked Smith to repay the $5.10, but that Smith didn't have any cash on him. He took a one-hour bus ride from Albany and paid the money back to the manager on Sunday.

Smith's journey has been tumultuous. The Albany man is on parole after being released from prison in May. He served a 15-year sentence for a 2002 armed robbery of a KeyBank in Latham, NY.

Smith said he robbed the bank to pay for a heroin and cocaine habit.

Smith had been homeless for four months before he sought help from the Homeless and Travelers Aid Society, which pays his rent at a rooming house.

Aaron Mullins, a spokesman at Walmart's corporate headquarters in Bentonville, Ark, said "We can't comment on human resource matters." Mullins said Smith was fired after an internal investigation and human resource review, but declined to elaborate.

Smith is considering a lawsuit.

"This is an injustice," he said. "I was done dirty."