A controversial post by the Winter Haven Police Department in Florida has dredged up a unique debate over whether it’s acceptable for a seemingly desperate father to steal from a multi-billion dollar corporation.
The police posted surveillance camera footage on Saturday showing a man pushing his shopping cart along with his children to a Walmart. According to police, the man attempted purchase diapers or baby wipes using his card at self-checkout.
The man then left the store and returned without children, but he had a second card that was declined. The man left the store without paying for the items.
The police department posted a photo with a snarky comment on its Facebook page. “So when your card is declined and you try another one with the same result, that is NOT licensed to just walk out with the items anyway,” the department wrote. The Winter Haven Police Department didn’t obscure the man in the original posting.
To help find the man, the police department posted photos and descriptions of the crime to try and get him charged with shoplifting. Winter Haven police say Walmart has a zero-tolerance policy and that the man should be arrested.
This post was criticized by many people because the man was found stealing necessities for his kids. He wasn’t actually stealing alcohol or even a television. It is not easy to find diapers and people are often struggling to make ends work during this pandemic.
This post was shared over 1000 times with many people offering to pay the price for the theft. There were also a lot of people who thought the police department acted in poor form by shaming a man who committed a crime to provide necessities for his children. Many people called the department to tell them they believe the charges should not be filed.
It’s impossible to know what type of pressure the man was under when he decided it was better to steal the diapers and wipes instead of paying for them. The man could have sworn that he was unable to pay for the diapers because he didn’t have enough money.
It is easy to understand why he made that decision if he was low on his luck and had few other options. It would have meant he was forced to disregard the health of his young children, which would also be morally unacceptable. His children shouldn’t be left without clean diapers, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with his actions.
Some of the comments suggested that parents with low incomes could find help through community resources. He should have reached out before stealing.
It all comes down to our individual values, whether the man stole or not. However, the good thing about the story is how many people were willing to help him by paying for his diapers. It shows that there is a lot of good-hearted people that want to help those in greatest need.
It was heartening to read the many people criticizing the police for shaming a man who committed a crime out of desperation. While the police have a responsibility to uphold the law, it doesn’t make sense for them to shame parents in need.