Mother who stole groceries for her two daughters… a gift from the US police instead of punishment

Police officer Matt Lima of Somerset, Massachusetts, USA, was reported to a grocery store on the 20th of last month, five days before Christmas. However, it was not handcuffs, but a touch of warmth that he reached out to the theft suspect. What happened? The story, which the Somerset Police Department revealed through its website, was announced through CNN and Fox News on the 2nd (local time).

It was two young children that caught the eyes of Officer Lima, who arrived at the scene at the time. A grocery store employee told Lima Officer, “Two women with two children were caught trying to sneak out some groceries at the self-checkout without paying for some groceries.”

Police officer Matt Lima of the Somerset Police Department, Massachusetts, USA. When he was reported and dispatched to the grocery store, when he learned that his mother was trying to steal groceries to make Christmas dinner for his two children, he helped his family buy groceries with his money. [미 서메셋 경찰국 웹사이트]

Officer Lima looked at her two young children and thought of her two daughters of the same age. He took one of the two suspected women to another location and asked what was happening to keep the children from being shocked. The woman told Officer Lima, “The mother of the children (another suspect) is not working, and there are problems in the home. What the child’s mother tried to take was ingredients for Christmas dinner for the children.”

She explained that her mother, who wanted to prepare a Christmas dinner for her two children, didn’t pay for some groceries when she ran out of money and put it in her bag. Officer Lima affirmed that the stolen items were all foodstuffs based on this statement and that they had put them back in place at the request of the staff.

Officer Lima warned the two women not to commit such crimes again, and did not arrest or arrest them separately. He then bought a gift certificate worth $250 (about 270,000 won) with his own money and handed it to his family. This allowed mothers and children to buy ingredients for Christmas dinner at other grocery stores.

Officer Lima told the local media, “I have two daughters of the same age. I had two daughters and thought I should help this family.” “They were very surprised and grateful (when they handed me the voucher),” he said. “People in a similar situation should be aware that there may be different consequences. They may be arrested or go to court. He is advised to be cautious because making wrong judgments in distressed situations can lead to irreparable consequences.

Jean Simmons, a member of the rock group Kiss, expressed his respect for Officer Lima on his Twitter. [진 시몬스 트위터 캡처]

Police Chief George McNeil Somerset told the news on his website that “Officer Lima’s actions show what it means to protect and serve members of the community.”

Jean Simmons, a member of the legendary rock group Keith, who encountered this story, continued to praise Lima Officer, saying, “He is a true hero” and “I respect and admire” through tweets for 3 consecutive days.

Reporter Lim Sun-young [email protected]