NYPD Cops Buy Groceries For Woman Accused Of Shoplifting Them

NEW YORK — This shopper got a helping hand instead of handcuffs. Three NYPD cops won praise on social media Thursday for helping a woman buy groceries she was accused of shoplifting.

The officers showed up at a Whole Foods store Thursday afternoon when the woman was being held by security because she had items in her bag that she allegedly had not paid for, according to a Twitter post from Paul Bozymowski, who witnessed the scene.

Instead of arresting the woman, the cops paid for the food, Bozymowski wrote. He tweeted a photo of the apparently emotional shopper with her hands over her eyes.

The scene unfolded at the Union Square Whole Foods store, according to the New York Post. Bozymowski's post about it drew nearly 400 retweets, close to 2,000 likes and several complementary comments for the cops.

Even the NYPD's top uniformed officer praised the trio of police for doing a good deed.

"Cops like Lt. Sojo and Officers Cuevas and Rivera of the Strategic Response Group are the kind-hearted cops who quietly do good deeds for New Yorkers in need," Chief of Department Terence Monahan said on Twitter.