Florida Cop Gives Admitted Shoplifter $100 To Buy Groceries

The central mission of police work is to uphold the law. But police officers are also human beings, and so can find themselves confronted with situations that force them to ask the question -- should I really just look the other way? As south Florida outlet WSVN reported, Florida police officer Vicki Thomas recently found herself dealing with that very dilemma when she discovered a woman was shoplifting from a supermarket simply because she couldn't afford to buy food for her children.

Thomas did arrest Jessica Robles on a theft misdemeanor charge, but opted against booking her and taking her to jail. Instead, she gave her a notice to appear in court. And then Thomas handed her $100 so she could buy more groceries.