Spanish cop pays for ‘shoplifter’s’ baby food after hearing his plight

A Spanish police officer paid for a ‘shoplifter’s’ baby food after hearing his financial troubles due to the crisis.

RATHER than arresting a 35-year-old father who tried to steal four jars of baby food, the policeman paid for the goods and told him to go home.

The man was captured on supermarket CCTV cameras in Zarragoza entering the store and going directly to the baby food aisle, where he was seen putting the items in his pocket and looking nervous, according to El Periódico de Aragón.

As is normal procedure, the police were called. But as the man explained he is a father who is out of work at the moment, times are hard and he is struggling to feed his family, fellow shoppers apparently took out their purses and offered to pay for the items.

🚨Un padre de familia sustrae 4 potitos en un supermercado de #Zaragoza. Es sorprendido y llaman📞a la @policia

El agente👮‍♂️ que acude, viendo la necesidad del hombre, paga la comida infantil y lo deja ir#MicrocuentosReales#FelizLunes#SomosTuPolicía https://t.co/VsZF1vgDsg pic.twitter.com/gUmfKr10H4

— Policía Nacional (@policia) June 8, 2020

A National Police team arrived and spoke to staff, shoppers and the suspect before telling him “to leave, that there is nothing against him.”

As the would-be shoplifter was leaving the store, one of the officers reportedly paid for the jars of baby food, valued at around €8, and gave them to him.

A witness told El Periódico de Aragón: “That cop behaved in a very humane manner, he went beyond what would be his duty and put himself in the place of the father of the family who has some little ones at home, waiting for him to bring them food.”

They added it’s a “question of where the obligation to work is counterbalanced by a sense of solidarity. A struggle, on a small scale, between what the law says and common sense.

“One should not steal, of course, but much less let babies die of hunger. These officers deserve a lot of applause.”