A police officer has been praised after he used his own money to buy Christmas dinner for a family in need instead of charging two women with shoplifting.
A police officer has been praised after he used his own money to buy Christmas dinner for a family in need instead of charging two women with shoplifting.
A police officer has been praised after he used his own money to buy Christmas dinner for a family in need instead of charging two women with shoplifting.
Massachusetts officer Matt Lima was called to a grocery store on December 20 after security staff said the women didn't scan all their items at the self-checkout.
Police say the women, who had two young children with them, were stopped by security as they attempted to leave the store.
When Lima arrived, he took one of the women to the side to discuss the incident away from the children.
That's when he discovered the family were facing a number of hardship issues.
"I have two girls myself, similar on age to the two girls that were there, so it kind of struck me a little bit," Lima told WJAR.
"The woman I talked to, she explained she was working, but the mother of the children was not working and had some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids."
Lima looked at the receipt and saw they had only planned to buy food.
He said he couldn't imagine having to make a decision about whether to steal to feed your kids or go hungry.
"Obviously, this family was in need and I can't imagine having to make the decision to go to Stop & Shop and just only pay for what I can afford -- or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids?"
A police officer has been praised after he used his own money to buy Christmas dinner for a family in need instead of charging two women with shoplifting.
In a turn of events, Lima did not press charges, only issuing them a notice not to trespass.
But Lima's generosity didn't end there.
He got the women a $250 gift card so they could buy groceries at a different store.
"They were very thankful, they were kind of shocked.
"I'm sure a lot of people in that same situation would be thinking that there was going to be a different outcome, and maybe they would be arrested or have to go to court."
Police Chief George McNeil says Lima is a great officer who has served his community well.
"His actions exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community."
