Here's a real "feel good" police story.
An 18 year old landed a job thanks to fancy new duds after NOT being charged by a Toronto Police officer for trying to steal them.
The man was caught trying to shop lift some clothing at a Walmart store. Officers arrived at the store for a theft call, finding an 18-year-old in the custody of loss prevention officers for having stolen a dress shirt, tie and socks.
Constable Niran Jeyanessan was one of the responding officers, but rather than lay charges against the young man, Jeyanesan had a different thought.
"These are not usual items for someone to steal, so I was intrigued by it,” said Jeyanesan, who attended the call with partner Kristen Yarlett. “He was apprehensive to talk about it, at first, but he began to open up.”
Jeyanesan learned the young man had stolen the items to attend a job interview. With his father sick and unable to work, he had decided to help out his family.
“He was a well-spoken kid. He had made mistakes,” said Jeyanesan, of the high-school graduate who had been precariously housed over the last few years because of his own bad behaviour. “He was very remorseful for his actions that day. We all make mistakes and someone, at some point, gives us a second chance. I thought about it and went back inside to buy him the clothes he wanted.”
Jeyanesan spoke to the store manager to retrieve the clothes the 18-year-old picked out and the officer paid for them out of his own pocket. "He thanked me for my help," Constable Niran Jeyanesan said.
After talking to the young man’s father, back at the station, he, his partner and detectives, consulted and no charge was laid against the young man.
He starts Monday."In this case, something clicked and I believed in him" said Jeyanesan, who also referred his father to another job.
with files from TPS News