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Officer Learned Of This Shoplifter’s Sad Story, Instead Of Arresting Her, He Brought Her Gifts [Video]

Published

4 years ago

March 16, 2020

Sarah Lindgren’s husband passed away a few years ago and it has been a hard life since then.
A few days before Thanksgiving last year, she was forced to shoplift just to give her family a good meal.
After learning her story, Bryan Wagner was so moved, instead of arresting her, he brought her groceries.

Sarah Lindgren was fully aware it was a terrible decision when she intended to shoplift some items into her grocery bag.

She also knew too well her shoplifting would come to an end after an officer showed up in her door. But the mom from Minnesota was left crying when she heard the officer’s response.

The 61-year-old never thought that she’d come to a point in her life that she would steal until her husband died a few years ago. She was left alone to provide for her three children, four grandchildren, and one great-grandchild, and have since struggled to survive each day.

A few days before Thanksgiving, she promised her family they would have steaks from Walmart in Woodbury. Unfortunately, upon checking on the self-checkout lane, the sad realization dawned on her that she can’t afford it all.

“It had been awhile since we’d had a good meal,” she said. “I was determined to give them a good meal no matter what it cost me.” So she had it her way.

But an employee caught her and she was certain she’d go to jail after the staff called the Woodbury Police Department.

Shoplifting is not new to officer Bryan Wagner, so he sat there, and listened to her story. After hearing what she had to say, he ran a background check on her and learned it was the first time she’d done the thing.

He was moved and understood totally it was out of desperation that she did it. So he instead responded with kindness.

In 2018, the officer’s car was smashed by a tow truck that left him with brain injury. He felt he was lucky he got out alive.

Remembering what has happened to him and the amount of support he received then, he went to the Christian Cupboard Emergency Food Shelf and told them Sarah’s story and they quickly responded with fresh fruits, vegetables, and cans of food filled in his car. He then delivered it to Sarah’s home.

The first sight of him, Sarah thought he was going to arrest her, but after seeing the groceries and learning that her case was cleared, she was beyond thankful!