The women, who had two young children with them, were arrested on leaving the store, police said.
Lima called one of the women aside to talk about what happened without the children listening. The store staff kept the kids busy so they wouldn’t know what was going on.
“The woman I spoke to explained that she was working, but the children’s mother was not working and had some other family problems going on and that what she had brought was the children’s Christmas dinner,” Lima told WJAR.
He looked at the receipt to see what the women planned to buy and saw that they were just getting food.
“Obviously, this family was in need and I can’t imagine having to make the decision to go to the Stop & Shop and pay only what I can afford – or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids?” Lima said to WJAR.
He notified them not to break in, but he did not press charges, police said.
“They were very grateful, they were a little shocked. I am sure that many people in the same situation would be thinking that the outcome would be different and perhaps they would be arrested or would have to go to court. “
Lima bought a $ 250 gift card for women, so they could buy groceries at a different store.