Convenience Store Owner Gives Hungry Teen Food After Shoplifting

The owner of a convenience store has compassion on a hungry teen and gives him food after he catches him shoplifting.

At first, the owner of the 7/11, Jay, notices some suspicious activity on his store’s surveillance camera. Jay sees a teenage boy taking something off the shelf and going to a corner of the store.

When he comes back to the front of the store, there is nothing in his hand. Jay sees from the footage that the teenager had put some items into his pockets.
“First of all, I was upset,” Jay says. “I was angry because if somebody is stealing, it feels like he’s taking money from my pocket.”

When Jay confronted the teen, he asked him to empty the contents of his pockets and place them on the counter. The items that he pulled out were mostly junk food like chips and candy.

Jay asked the teen why he was doing this, and his answer made him have a change of heart.

“He said, ‘I am hungry. I’m stealing it for myself and my younger brother,’” explains Jay. “When he said, ‘I’m hungry,’ the whole thing changed, my whole perception changed. This is not a regular shoplifter, a regular shoplifting incident. It is something different.”

Jay’s anger quickly turned to sympathy, and knew he needed to help this young man. “I said, ‘If you’re hungry, I’ll give you food. Don’t try to steal these candies and gum and junk items. You’re not going to fulfill your hunger with that. That’s useless.’”

After Jay’s conversation with the teen, he gave him some sandwiches and other hot food to eat. And the reason behind his decision to show grace toward the young man is inspiring.

“I thought, ‘Okay, he did something wrong. At least give him another chance,’” he says. “Maybe he will do it right next time. Show him what is right, what is wrong. And I hope he learns that.”

What a beautiful act of kindness that will be sure to impact that young man!