A police officer in Tarrant, Alabama, bought a dozen eggs for a woman who was accused of trying to steal them.
The woman told Officer William Stacy that she was shoplifting to
feed her hungry children, who were in the car, AL.com reported.
A bystander took a video of the exchange, which included Stacy hugging the woman, whose name is Helen Johnson, and the video went viral.
Since then people from all over the country have been calling the Tarrant Police Department asking to donate to the woman or the local food and toy drive,
Chief Dennis Reno told WIAT-TV.
Johnson said the children, who are her grandchildren, hadn’t eaten in two days when she went to the Dollar General store hoping to buy a dozen eggs with the $1.25 she had in her pocket, the station reported. After coming up short and failing to get change from strangers, she decided to try to steal three eggs.
“I had no idea anybody was watching me,” Johnson told WIAT-TV. “I thought I was smooth as a criminal, and so I put three eggs in my jacket pocket.”
Johnson said she was in disbelief when the cop gave her a dozen eggs.
“This man — he pushed my world in the right direction,” she said. “And I will never forget it.”
In light of the recent accusations and protests against cops, Twitter users shared the fell-good story.
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