‘Times are tough.’ Officer has unexpected response to shoplifting in Massachusetts

An alleged shoplifting incident came to a heartwarming end days before Christmas thanks to a police officer in Massachusetts.

Mathew Lima, an officer with the Somerset Police Department, was called to a Stop & Shop grocery store Dec. 20 after reports of shoplifting, police said in a news release.

When he arrived, the officer learned that two women — who had two young children with them — had been detained by store workers who accused them of skipping items while scanning in the self-check out lane, according to police.

Lima said shoplifting is common, but that this incident was different than what he usually encounters, WCVB reported.

“It was a little bit different from the get-go because not too many people engage in that type of behavior with their young children there,” Lima told the outlet.

He soon learned that the women were trying to provide a Christmas meal for the children.

One of the women “explained she was working right now, but the mother of the children was not working, there was some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids,” Lima said, according to WJAR.

The woman told Lima she knew it was wrong to skip scanning items, the outlet reported.

But instead of making arrests, Lima opened his wallet.

“The two children with the women reminded me of my kids, so I had to help them out,” Lima said in the news release.

He used his own money to purchase $250 in gift cards so the women could pick up groceries for Christmas dinner at another Stop & Shop location, according to police.

“We have the ability to adapt to many things,” Lima told WCVB. “But also, we just need to be there for each other and be there for our neighbors.”

Lima issued “Notice Not To Trespass” forms to the two women, police said, but they weren’t charged with any shoplifting-related crimes.

“I would like to personally commend Officer Lima for his actions,” police chief George McNeil said. “His actions exemplify what it means to protect and serve the members of our community.

This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 11:13 AM with the headline "‘Times are tough.’ Officer has unexpected response to shoplifting in Massachusetts."