Policeman buys family Christmas dinner instead of arresting them for shoplifting

Matt Lima bought food for women caught shoplifting

A police officer has dug deep into his own pocket to buy a family a Christmas dinner rather than arrest two women for shoplifting.

Matt Lima was called to a store in Somerset, Massachusetts after the women were reported  for not scanning all their groceries at a Stop & Shop supermarket.

The two women were at the store with two young children.

They told Mr Lima that they had fallen on hard times and did not have enough money to pay for the groceries.

Rather than charge them for shoplifting Mr Lima merely issued a non-trespass order.

Then he went rather further, buying gift cards worth  $250 (£180)  to they could buy Christmas dinner.

"The two children with the women reminded me of my kids, so I had to help them out,” he said.

"Obviously, this family was in need and I can’t imagine having to make the decision to go to Stop and 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?

"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.

"I bought the gift card close in value to what would’ve been taken," 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."

Mr Lima’s generosity comes with the US economy having been devastated by coronavirus with an unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent.

Last month the US Congress passed legislation extending unemployment benefits and paying $600 to each adult and child.