In a rare display of compassion, a police officer in Somerset, Massachusetts, responded to a shoplifting incident by buying groceries for the suspects instead of pressing charges.
It was five days before Christmas when Officer Matt Lima responded to a report of shoplifting at a Stop & Shop grocery store. Upon arrival, he learned that two women with two young children had not scanned all of their groceries at the self-checkout before exiting the store.
Officer Lima took the women aside and discovered they had fallen on hard times and attempted to take the additional groceries to provide a Christmas dinner for their children. The mother of the children was not working and had some other family issues going on.
Rather than filing criminal charges, Officer Lima served the women with Notice Not To Trespass forms. He then purchased $250 worth of gift cards with his own money so the women could buy groceries for their Christmas dinner at another Stop & Shop location.
“The two children with the women reminded me of my kids, so I had to help them out,” Officer Lima said. He added, “I just did what I felt was right. It’s not about me, I just tried to put myself in that family’s shoes and show a little bit of empathy.”
Chief George McNeil commended Officer Lima’s actions, stating, “They exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community. When faced with a difficult situation in which a family was trying to provide a meal for their kids, he made the generous decision to not press charges and instead ensured that they would have a Christmas dinner they could enjoy.”
Even the toughest tasks can become manageable when we prioritize kindness and empathy as fundamental values in everything we do. May we continually radiate kindness.