ROELAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City police officer says he’s amazed by the public’s response to his actions while handling a shoplifting call at a local retail store.
The Kansas City Star reported that Roeland Park, Kansas, officer Mark Engravalle responded Monday to a Wal-Mart after a woman and juvenile were caught shoplifting.
He says most calls to the store are for people stealing jewelry, cosmetics and electronics, but this time the suspect’s haul consisted of diapers and baby wipes.
Engravalle was so touched by the sight of the homeless widow’s crying, dirty, barefoot daughters that instead of hauling the woman off to jail, he sent the girls to pick out some shoes.
Engravalle paid for the shoes, along with the diapers and wipes the woman had tried to steal.