Officer buys baby formula for shoplifting suspect

A Kentucky police officer didn't cuff a shoplifting suspect, but instead paid for the item he was accused of stealing: baby formula.

"Me citing him for court wouldn't have done any good for him. He's already short on money." officer Justin Roby said.

The suspect is a single father whose 6-month-old son was with him at the time. Neither officer Justin Roby nor the store's theft-prevention officer wanted to press charges.

Local outlet The Sentinel-Echo says that after Roby bought a few cans of formula for the man at Kroger, he told him to contact the police department if he ever fell on hard times and to scout out local churches.

The story has touched national media outlets, too. Anchors on Fox News even wanted to find the man so they could help:

"I wish we had his name and number. I would love to, you know, help out," Fox anchor Heather Childers said.

"We'll try to get that," Brian Kilmeade said.

"That's what officers do every day," anchor Elisabeth Hasselbeck said.

We have heard stories like this before.

Just in December, WIAT says an Alabama officer got a call about a woman who was suspected of trying to steal eggs at a Dollar General. The officer also decided to pay for the item.

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