A Massachusetts police officer declined to charge two women accused of trying to steal groceries for the children — and instead bought them Christmas dinner.
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.
(AP)
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6 Responses
I get why this is seen as praiseworthy but stealing is stealing and even if someone is going through hard times as Jews I don’t think we want to condone such behavior. Even if we understand what brought them to it. Stealing breaks down society and ruins the fabric of morality. So while the policeman had good intentions and people are 100% struggling, I think this news piece gives over a mixed message. Stealing is 100% forbidden. From a story like this we can see how dire a need there is and how much havoc Covid is causing. We can make a charitable donation, hire a new employee or find some other way to do more good in the world. But we should not walk away with the message that in some situations stealing should actually be rewarded.
The issur is that you are causing a loss to someone, so he made up the loss.
Chareidimom, thank you. Well said.
To chareidimom: You don’t know from chesed. You don’t know from justice. You don’t even know from sociology.
Ehhhhh! Who cares! Defund him!
Would this policeman have been so equinable to a destitute Jew putting מצות into a bag without scanning them 2 nites before סדר nite?