by SAM READ, NBC 10 NEWS Wednesday, December 30th 2020
Somerset Police Officer Matt Lima. (WJAR)
SOMERSET, Mass. (WJAR) — A call to police about a shoplifting incident has turned into something much bigger for an officer in Somerset who felt the punishment didn’t necessarily fit the crime.
Five days before Christmas, Ptlm Matt Lima of the Somerset Police Department was dispatched to the local Stop and Shop for a reported theft.
“The allegation was the two females were scanning some items at self-checkout but bypassing other items and bagging those items,” explained Lima. “Dispatch indicated it was two females and two young small children and they were detained by Loss and Prevention over there.”
Lima said when he heard two kids had been with the women, it didn’t sit right with him.
“I have two girls myself, similar on age to the two girls that were there, so it kind of struck me a little bit,” said Lima.
Upon arrival, Lima said he pulled one of the adults to the side while the children, who had no idea what was going on, were occupied by store employees.
“The woman I talked to, she explained she was working, but the mother of the children was not working and had some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids,” said the officer.
Lima said he spoke to the Stop and Shop Asset Protection associate and checked the receipt for the items they did plan to pay for.
