Two Best Buy employees have been fired for confronting a knife-wielding shoplifter Aug. 1.

Jared Bergstreser, 20, and Colin Trapp, 23, were fired Sunday, two weeks after they tried to stop two men who were fleeing the store at 271 E. Flatiron Circle in Broomfield with armloads of merchandise.

Bergstreser tackled and attempted to pin one of the men to the ground. Trapp came to Bergstreser's aid before the suspect drew a knife, according to the fired employees and Broomfield police.

The tackled suspect broke free, and both men fled from the FlatIron Marketplace parking lot in an old light-green Pontiac sedan driven by a woman, police said. The car had a temporary license plate No. 105919G.

A manager also was involved in the fracas and was cut by the suspect. She was not fired.

Police have not arrested any suspects, Broomfield Sgt. Scott Swenson said.

The police report said the suspects got away with computer hard drives and other items. Bergstreser said he thought the men also grabbed phones.

Best Buy's response to the incident left Trapp angry and considering filing a wrongful-termination claim.

“It wasn't recognized, it wasn't viewed as heroic, it wasn't viewed as loyal,” Trapp said. “I feel like I was wronged when I tried to protect the company.”

Calls to Best Buy's corporate media relations department were not returned.

Both employees worked in the asset protection unit. They were not uniformed security guards and wore company-issued polo shirts.

Bergstreser, who received minor cuts and bruises, said he worked at the store for nearly three years, the last two in asset protection.

The company gave him two weeks of training before he began in his position, he said. He knew making physical contact with a customer was against company policy.

“I knew I wasn't supposed to tackle the guy,” he said. “It's to protect (Best Buy) from getting sued.”

Trapp said he was in asset protection for about six months and did not have similar training.

“They would tell us how to do the everyday, routine stuff. As for actually ever handling a situation (with a fleeing shoplifter), there was never any role-playing, never any instructions,” Trapp said. “They kind of left us in a gray area, and I think they did it intentionally.”

Trapp said he is likely to file for unemployment insurance and then apply to the University of Colorado or Metropolitan State College of Denver to continue his education. Berstreser is a student at Front Range Community College, where he's training to become a paramedic.