Last week, Iran Ahmed, an Indian food shop owner in Bristol, England, got a surprising gift: a letter and £100 cash from an anonymous man who had stolen from his shop seven years ago.
If you’ve ever worked retail, you’ve most likely fallen victim to shoplifters from time to time. And, with the exception of sobbing children whose parents force them to return their stolen candy bars, it’s rare to see the stolen items returned to their rightful owners.
But last week, Iran Ahmed, an Indian food shop owner in Bristol, England, got a surprising gift: a letter and £100 cash from an anonymous man who had stolen from his shop seven years ago.
“About seven years ago I was walking past your shop late one night when I noticed that someone had broken into it,” the former thief wrote in the letter. “I used this opportunity to enter your shop where I stole 400 cigarettes. The money enclosed (£100) is to pay for those cigarettes which I stole from you.”
The thief went on to say that he had been a heavy drug user at the time. Now, he was clean, and was attempting to make up for all the wrongs he’d committed during that era of his life. “I regret the harm I caused you in the past and I sincerely apologise to you for it.”
Ahmed was surprised and happy to receive payment for those long-lost cigarettes, and plans to donate the cash to a charity that helps people get off drugs—which should hopefully inspire other former addicts to commit the same apologetic acts.