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Police officers catch young man stealing from Walmart. What the cops do next is fantastic.
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Police officers catch young man stealing from Walmart. What the cops do next is fantastic.

Merry Christmas, indeed, arrives in Kansas

Two Roeland Park, Kansas, police officers may have made all the difference in a young man's life after he reportedly attempted to steal merchandise from a local Walmart.

What happened?

An unidentified young man — a juvenile — was caught trying to steal a pair of work boots at the Walmart in question, Fox News reported.

After police arrived to the scene, they discovered what led the young man to steal the boots, and ended up paying for the merchandise rather than citing him.

The young man was reportedly a "displaced juvenile within the State of Kansas Justice system" who was living in a group home.

He reportedly told authorities that he tried to take the boots because they were necessary to get a job. The officers, clearly moved by the young man's story, paid for the boots and, according to the department's chief, offered the juvenile some "words of encouragement," which included advising him to "find a job, finish school, and stay out of trouble."

A Facebook post on the department's page, penned by the chief, described the situation in further detail.

The posting said, "A call this afternoon of a juvenile in custody at the Wal-Mart in Roeland Park for shoplifting was gifted the work boots he was trying to steal by a rookie Roeland Park Police Officer who is starting the police academy in January."

"Officers responded to the Wal-Mart and found that a displaced juvenile within the State of Kansas Justice system was trying to steal some work boots so he could get a job. When the officer(s) at the scene listened to his story, they were compelled to help.

"The officer(s) bought the pair of boots for the juvenile and presented them to him after some words of encouragement to find a job, finish school, and stay out of trouble. With tears in his eyes, the juvenile left with a supervisor of the group home he is staying with that had to respond to pick him up."

The chief added that he's simply "so proud" of his officers.

"I just smiled when I heard this story a short time ago as it almost made me cry too," the posting concluded. "Congrats to Officer Suffield and Officer Snepp for making another difference in RP and for a job well done."

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