Grandmother Caught Stealing Eggs To Feed Family Is Left 'Overwhelmed' By Kind Policeman | HuffPost Life

Grandmother Caught Stealing Eggs To Feed Family Is 'Overwhelmed' By Kind Policeman

Natasha Hinde— The Huffington Post UK

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If this isn't a lesson in the importance of giving back then we don't know what is...

A grandmother who was caught stealing eggs to feed her starving family was left overwhelmed by a policeman's kindness.

Helen Johnson, a 47-year-old mother and grandmother, was caught stealing eggs from Dollar General in Tarrant, Alabama after she realised she didn't have enough money for them - she needed 50 cents more.

After being caught with broken eggs in her pocket, a kind-hearted police officer bought her a new box of eggs, hugged her and then proceeded to give her two weeks worth of food shopping.

"I was just getting eggs and now that's saved my life,'' Johnson told AL.com. "I've never been more grateful in my life. I'm so overwhelmed with the goodness of these people."

The family of six - comprising Johnson's two daughters, a niece and two grandchildren - had gone without food for two days.

Money coming into the house was limited. On this occasion, the family were relying on a $120 welfare handout for Johnson's daughter. Sadly, the cheque had gotten lost in the post. Johnson also receives a disability check, which they were also waiting for.

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Johnson went to Dollar General with $1.25 and thought that would be enough to buy a carton of eggs. She then realised that she was 50 cents short, and in desperation, put the five eggs into her pocket.

"Of course when I put them in my jacket pocket they broke,'' Johnson said. "I'm not a good thief at all."

She was then stopped by a shop assistant who asked if she had tried to steal the eggs. She admitted that she had, and they told her that they'd already called the police.

Story continues below...

Man, 90, Arrested For Feeding Homeless

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(01 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., right, places a casserole in the oven while preparing food in the kitchen of The Sanctuary Church, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. Police said they violated a new ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property in Fort Lauderdale. Abbott plans to feed the homeless Wednesday in a public parking lot. At left is Stanley Jackson, assistant director of Love Thy Neighbor Inc. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(02 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., prepares a salad in the kitchen of The Sanctuary Church, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. Police said they violated a new ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property in Fort Lauderdale. Abbott plans to feed the homeless Wednesday in a public parking lot. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(03 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., prepares a salad in the kitchen of The Sanctuary Church, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. Police said they violated a new ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property in Fort Lauderdale. Abbott plans to feed the homeless Wednesday in a public parking lot. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(04 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., places a casserole in the oven while preparing food in the kitchen of The Sanctuary Church, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. Police said they violated a new ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property in Fort Lauderdale. Abbott plans to feed the homeless Wednesday in a public parking lot. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(05 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., left, is fingerprinted by a Fort Lauderdale police officer, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott and a group of volunteers were feeding the homeless in a public parking lot next to the beach when he was issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott w also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(06 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., right, serves food to the homeless from a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(07 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., left, is kissed by a supporter as he arrives to serve food to the homeless from a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(08 of17)

Suzanne Haines Walsh, 60, who is homeless, second from right, waits with others to be fed a meal by homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, on a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., feeds the homeless on a regular basis and was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(09 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., left, is hugged by a supporter as he arrives to serve food to the homeless from a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(10 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., center, gets his drivers license to hand to a Fort Lauderdale police officer, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott and a group of volunteers were feeding the homeless in a public parking lot next to the beach when he was issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott w also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(11 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., center, serves food to the homeless with the help of volunteers from a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(12 of17)

Suzanne Haines Walsh, 60, who is homeless, left, gets a meal from volunteers working with homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, at a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., feeds the homeless on a regular basis and was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(13 of17)

The homeless stand in line for a meal from volunteers working with homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, at a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., feeds the homeless on a regular basis and was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(14 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc.,right, walks with a Fort Lauderdale police officer, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott and a group of volunteers were feeding the homeless in a public parking lot next to the beach when he was issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(15 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., center, walks with a Fort Lauderdale police officer, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott and a group of volunteers were feeding the homeless in a public parking lot next to the beach when he was issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(16 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc.,right, shakes hands with a Fort Lauderdale police officer, left, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott and a group of volunteers were feeding the homeless in a public parking lot next to the beach when he was issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott w also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Feeding the Homeless Arrests(17 of17)

Homeless advocate Arnold Abbott, 90, director of the nonprofit group Love Thy Neighbor Inc., right, serves food to the homeless from a public parking lot next to the beach, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Abbott was later issued a summons to appear in court for violating an ordinance that limits where charitable groups can feed the homeless on public property. Abbott was also recently arrested along with two pastors for feeding the homeless in a Fort Lauderdale park. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Police Officer William Stacy arrived and told her to stay put. He then went back into the shop and purchased Johnson a box of eggs.

"She started crying, she got very emotional and was very apologetic,'' Stacy said. "She tried to give me the money she had on her, $1.25."

And the kindness doesn't stop there. Officer Stacy and his colleagues have since delivered food hampers to Johnson's home to feed her and her family throughout the Christmas period.

[H/T Metro]

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