FERNDALE, Mich. – The owners of a popular shop in Ferndale said they don’t want a thief arrested after the thief was caught stealing a wallet and an item from the shop.
The thief was bold enough to go behind the counter of the smoke shop and steal a product and then steal an employees wallet. The owner said instead of pressing charges, he wants to help.
“He was nice enough at first, just asked a bunch of questions. Almost seemed like he was feeling out the place a bit,” BDT Smoke Shops Ferndale worker Evan Brabander said.
Brabander said he was shocked looking back of the surveillance video of a customer blatantly stealing. The thief went behind the counter as he was being helped and stole a bottle of synthetic urine.
“When he kind of asked me about something I didn’t realize that he had already grabbed what he was asking about,” Brabander said.
Cameras then caught the thief coming back into the store just moments later, but this time he went after the employee’s wallet that had nearly $300 inside.
“As soon as more customers came in, he diverted my attention. He made a b-line for my jacket, grabbed the wallet and said his goodbyes to get out of here,” Brabander said.
Shortly after an online post was made about the incident the perpetrator’s family members reached out to the store apologizing and said that the thief has an addiction problem.
When the store owner, Jeff Spalding, heard that news he decided not to press charges -- but only if the product and wallet was returned.
“We’re extremely humbled that his family cares enough about him to actually contact us and try to make the situation right,” Spalding said.
Spalding said he knows the lengths that addicts are willing to go to to support their habit. For that reason, he didn’t want to make the situation worse for anyone.
“If we can get him into a rehab facility first over jail, that would make us much happier,” Spalding said.
The owner said the wallet, money were returned and the family paid more for the stolen item than it was originally priced.