VIDEO: Kentucky Officer Buys Baby Formula for Desperate Shoplifter

A London, Ky., police officer took it upon himself to help a suspected shoplifter after realizing the man was in a difficult situation.

"As a police officer, it's not black and white for us," said Officer Justin Roby. "There's a lot of gray. And you have to cipher through everything and you really need to figure out the whole story."

Roby was called to the Kroger on North Main Street in London on Saturday, Jan. 17 after a loss prevention officer stopped a man who was shoplifting.

The suspect was a single father who had fallen on hard times, Roby said. The man was caught stealing baby formula for his six-month-old son, who was with him at the time.

The store's loss prevention officer told Roby he did not want to press charges, and Roby agreed.

But what Roby did next showed the shoplifter what it truly means "to protect and serve" one's community. He bought the man some formula.

Roby told WKYT's Garrett Wymer that there was nothing special about what he did, saying that his fellow officers do selfless acts - changing tires, giving people rides to homeless shelters - every day. It is just not always seen.