Officer Caught On Camera… Doing Something Good

Written by: EV

Helen Johnson, a 47-year-old grandmother in Tarrant, Ala., was recently caught shoplifting eggs to feed her family. Officer William Stacy was called to the scene, but rather than arresting Johnson, he bought her the eggs.

“She started crying,” said Stacy. “She said, ‘I need help. I need help Officer Stacy, I need to put food in my babies’ stomachs.’ That’s what got me. That’s what hit me the hardest. I told her to park on the side of the parking lot. I ran in, bought the carton of eggs, came back outside and handed them to her.”

Stacy claimed that he himself came from humble beginnings, stating that his mother had trouble feeding him and his sister. He had also been on a call to Johnson’s house before, and had seen the condition in which she and her family lived.

Overwhelming: Helen Johnson gets emotional as she unpacks donated food in her kitchen. Stacy bought the one dozen eggs that Johnson stole from a local store and didn’t arrest her. The act to kindness was recorded and Johnson says it changed her life

A cellphone video of the encounter was posted to Facebook with the hashtag #feelgoodstoryoftheday. It soon went viral, and donations began to pour in from around the world.

“The last time I saw my house this full, I was 12-years-old and staying with my grandmother,” Johnson told the Birmingham News. “I’ve been crying all day.”

More from Birmingham News:

“What a difference a week makes. Johnson’s two daughters, a niece and two grandchildren, ages 1 and 3, live with her in their Tarrant home. The kids’ mother gets a welfare check—$120 a month—but that check was lost in the mail. Johnson herself gets a disability check, which is set to come this week.

“By Saturday, the family had gone two days without food. Johnson went to Dollar General on Pinson Valley Parkway with $1.25 and thought that would be enough to buy a carton of eggs. When she realized she was 50 cents plus tax short, she stuffed five eggs in her pocket out of desperation.”

In the end, the eggs in her pocket were crushed. “I’m not a good thief at all,” Johnson told the newspaper.

 The Reunion – The hug that changed her life: Helen Johnson thanks Tarrant Police officer William Stacy with a hug in her kitchen after he had delivered two truckloads of food for her and her family

After the story made national news, people began to leave donations for the Johnson family at the local police station. Johnson was additionally surprised by Officer Stacy when he contact the family to ask if they needed more eggs, and then brought truckloads of donated food to her house.  

Christmas kindness: Officer William Stacy with Helen Johnson after donated food was delivered to her. Tarrant Police officers including Officer William Stacy deliver bags of food to Helen Johnson on Wednesday

In regards to his actions that day, Officer Stacy said, “I felt like it was the right thing to do. I didn’t want to pass judgment on her.”

Youtube video:

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Sources:

Calamur, Krishnadev. The Two-Way. Dec 11, 2014. (http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/11/370172173/officer-buys-eggs-for-woman-caught-shoplifting-to-feed-family)

Horton, Sierra. Pop Sugar. Dec 10, 2014. (http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/Officer-Buys-Eggs-Woman-Caught-Shoplifting-36253900)

WKRN Web Staff. WKRN Nashville. Dec 13, 2014. (http://wkrn.com/2014/12/13/officer-buys-woman-caught-stealing-eggs-food-instead-of-arresting-her/)