Police Chief Gives a Thanksgiving Helping Hand to Mother Caught Shoplifting
In Yale, Oklahoma, outside of Tulsa, Police Chief Phillip Kelly had to take time out of delivering meals to the needy to respond to a call of shoplifter at a local Dollar General. But although it started as a criminal call, it ended as an act of kindness.
News 9 in Oklahoma reported the story of Kelly’s generous act. The Chief arrived at the scene to find surveillance video of the would-be shoplifter, who took items, but put them back before leaving the store. The Chief recognized the suspect. The store’s manager asked that the suspect be given only a warning for trespassing. Chief Kelly went to find her.
“I found the woman, and as I was talking to her, I told her you can’t go back in there, you know, you stole some food, and they don’t want you back in there,” said Kelly in the above clip as he spoke with News 9. “She started crying and that made me tear up.”
“After I gave her the trespass warning, I thought to myself the only right thing to do is feed her,” said Kelly. “That’s the only human thing to do.”
And that’s what he did. He went back to the store and bought a full Thanksgiving dinner for the mother and her children.
“She just couldn’t stop crying,” said Kelly. “You know, and then, made me cry. Which I’m supposed to be a tough cop and all, but it just gets you.”
“There’s always somebody that needs help, that’s less fortunate than you,” said the police chief. “And by gosh, we’re going to help them.”
The Yale PD is accepting donations for their toy drive and meals program. Their contact info is here.
Watch the clip above, courtesy of NewsOn6.com – Tulsa, OK – News, Weather, Video and Sports – KOTV.com |
[Featured image via screengrab]
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