Police Officer Pulls Over Woman And Gives Her Gift Card To Fix Car

A police officer gave a great grandmother he had pulled over for a broken brake light a gift card to get it fixed rather than issue her with a fine.

Sergeant Wayne Costa, an officer with Orlando Police Department, was out on patrol when he saw the woman driving along with the faulty light.

After pulling her over, he told her he knew everyone was finding it tough at the moment and he didn't want to give her a fine.

So instead he handed her a $25 (£17) gift voucher for Advance Auto Parts so she could go and get her car sorted without having to worry about the additional cost of a penalty notice.

In the video, which has been shared to the force's social media account, Sgt Costa can be heard saying: "I'm gonna do you a favour.

"So what I'm gonna do is instead of giving you a ticket, I'm going to give you this card. It's a gift card to Advance Auto Parts, and then you can use it to fix this car.

"This way I don't have to give you a ticket. I don't want to give you a ticket, it's too hard right now."

Orlando Police Department

Thanking the officer and explaining her situation, the woman says: "I'm just a great grandmama. I'm doing the best I can."

To which Sgt Costa said: "Well, God bless you for doing what you're doing as a grandmother."

Last year, a police officer in Somerset, Massachusetts, paid for a family's Christmas dinner rather than charge two women for shoplifting.

Matt Lima was called to a Stop and Shop supermarket on 20 December when security guards saw two women failing to scan items in the self-checkout.

After being approached, the guards found a number of items were missing from their receipts, and told the women to wait for the police.

Somerset Police Department

When officer Lima arrived, he spoke to the women while staff at the store distracted the kids.

He found they had been struggling financially, and were stealing so they could give their kids a Christmas dinner.

Speaking to WJAR, officer Lima said: "The woman I talked to, she explained she was working, but the mother of the children was not working and had some other family issues going on and that what she had taken was Christmas dinner for the kids.

"The two children with the women reminded me of my kids, so I had to help them out.

"Obviously, this family was in need and I can't imagine having to make the decision to go to Stop and Shop and just only pay for what I can afford - or do I go there and try to take things for Christmas dinner for the kids?"

Topics: Police, Driving, US News, Cars

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

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