Cop shops for shoplifter
Officer steps up after teen caught shoplifting clothes for upcoming job interview
A Toronto police officer who purchased a shirt and tie for an alleged shoplifter after learning the young man needed the clothing items for an upcoming job interview said Tuesday that he wanted to show kindness to someone who had fallen on hard times.
Const. Niran Jeyanesan said he wasn’t rewarding bad behaviour when he made the purchase, but rather was using his discretion as an officer in deciding that this case merited credit-card charges rather than criminal ones.
“He was very remorseful, very ashamed,” Jeyanesan said of the teen.
“I could see that this is truly a mistake and this person wanted a chance at life.”
Jeyanesan said the case unfolded on Sunday night when he and his partner were called to a Walmart in the city’s north end in response to a report of shoplifting.
Such calls are routine, but Jeyanesan said the details of this incident quickly caught his attention.
The would-be thief had attempted to steal a long-sleeved shirt, a tie and a pair of socks, he said, adding such items are not common targets for shoplifters.
Jeyanesan said the unusual merchandise prompted him to dig deeper and find out the reasons behind the teen’s actions. The story he heard was of a young man in a time of crisis, he said.
His family had recently lost their home after his father — the principle breadwinner — fell seriously ill, he said, adding the 18-year-old felt mounting pressure to fill the financial void and help provide for his parents and younger siblings.
Jeyanesan said the teen had secured a job interview for a service-industry position, but did not have professional-looking clothes to wear.
As the interview date approached, he resorted to shoplifting out of des- peration and a lack of awareness of other options available to him.
“We try to get everybody’s story when we attend calls. Everyone has their own battles that they’re fighting,” he said.
“It doesn’t excuse them, but behind every action there’s a reason why this person is doing it.”
Before police took the teen to the station for questioning, Jeyanesan decided to help him get suitable clothes.
He went back into the store to select something, but didn’t know the teen’s size.
He eventually asked the manager to hand over the original shirt and tie, which he purchased for about $40.
Jeyanesan left the new clothes with the teen’s other belongings at the police station. The teen found them waiting for him when he later left the station, with no charges laid against him.
Toronto police spokesperson Mark Pugash praised Jeyanesan’s compassionate approach, calling it an intelligent use of officer’s discretion.
“He understood the importance of what happened, that this could easily be seen as a crossroads in this young man’s life, and took the very commendable decision to assist in the way he did,” Pugash said.
Jeyanesan said he has not been in touch with the teen since Sunday — not even to find out the results of the job interview, which was to take place Tuesday.