Police Officer Pays For Shoplifting Suspects’ Holiday Dinner

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This undated photo provided by the Somerset Police Department shows Officer Matt Lima in Somerset, Mass. He is being praised for using his own money to purchase $250 gift cards for two women accused of trying to steal groceries last month. The women said they wanted to provide a Christmas meal for their children. (Somerset Police Department via AP)

SOMERSET, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts police officer declined to charge two women accused of trying to steal groceries for the children — and instead bought them Christmas dinner.

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Somerset Officer Matt Lima responded to a report of shoplifting Dec. 20 at Stop & Shop, where two women with two young children were accused of putting groceries into bags at a self-checkout kiosk without scanning them.

The women said they had fallen on hard times and were trying to provide a Christmas dinner for the children. Lima says he was reminded of his own children and used his own money to buy $250 in grocery gift cards.

“His actions exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community,” Chief George McNeil said on the department’s website.

This undated photo provided by the Somerset Police Department shows Officer Matt Lima in Somerset, Mass. He is being praised for using his own money to purchase $250 gift cards for two women accused of trying to steal groceries last month. The women said they wanted to provide a Christmas meal for their children. (Somerset Police Department via AP)

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Phil
Phil
3 years ago

May we never know the desperation that these women must have felt when they saw no option other than to steal to feed their children. We dare not judge.

Common sense
Common sense
3 years ago

Stupid cop, you just now said it’s right to steal if you don’t have money. He should get fired for this crime of ignoring a shop lifters.