MANCHESTER, N.H. (WHDH) - A police officer is receiving praise for buying food for an alleged shoplifter in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Officer George Morales was working a detail at Market Basket on Elm Street when he saw a young man with a backpack leave the store in a hurry without purchasing anything, according to Manchester police.
He stopped the man and found that he had some unpaid food in his bag.
Rather than charge him with a crime, police say Morales pulled out his debit card and paid for the items.
“It was then apparent to me, this was just a young person going through hard times. He was just hungry,” Morales said. “I then offered to purchase the items of food for him. I asked him to please apologize to the store manager. He then began to cry, and agreed. The store manager was satisfied with the resolution, and we then parted ways on good terms.”
One person who witnessed the kind act wrote on Facebook that “the young man apologized to the cashier and manager and expressed such gratitude.”
“I told (the officer) how much I appreciated seeing a possible bad situation turn out positive- he thanked me and just asked ever in the same situation to just pay it forward,” the witness continued. “A reminder the kid was not stealing alcohol – he needed to eat- and really I think was grateful that it had been paid for and not stolen- such a sense of gratitude no attitude.”
Police say they hope this selfless act made a difference in the young man’s life.
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