A grocery store worker in Colorado was fired after he filmed shoplifters stealing over $500 worth of detergent.

Santino Burrola, an employee at a King Soopers grocery store in Arapahoe County, Colorado, captured a group of criminals on video who were stealing from the store he worked at in June.

In the video that has since gone viral, the employee followed the thieves out to the parking lot where they were hurriedly loading the stolen goods into their vehicle.

“Really bro? You gotta resort to this?” asked Burrola. “The economy’s not that bad.”

Without acknowledging the employee, the brazen shoplifters began to drive away, but not before Burrola could pull the tin foil covering off of the car’s license plate, exposing it for the video he was taking.

This video quickly went viral and was even shared by the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office to help with their investigation into the theft.

WATCH:

Although Burrola was trying to keep the thieves from getting away with their crime, the store immediately fired him for violating their policy on confronting shoplifters.

“I would never let any criminal conduct slide, especially when it’s happening right in front of me,” Burrola said to CBS News. “I hope this changes the policy, in the handbook or the shoplifting policy and gives power back to retail workers like myself.”

When asked by CBS News Colorado about the termination of Burrola, King Soopers replied, “We are disappointed by the increased level of crime across retail establishments and the impact these incidents have on our associates and customers. We remain committed to working in partnership with local law enforcement to address this issue, as safety remains a top priority.”

“We have security measures in place to help prevent crime and de-escalate such confrontations to minimize the risk to our associates. While we are unable to comment on personnel matters, we value our hardworking associates and their safe return home,” they added.

Thanks to Burrola capturing the license plate on video, law enforcement was able to locate the car’s owner, who had loaned the car to Jorge Pantoja, 32, the man in the green shirt in the video.

Pantoja has been taken into custody at the Adams County Detention Facility on unrelated felony charges, in addition to being charged with a Class 2 Misdemeanor of Theft/Shoplifting.