HONOLULU, Nov. 2 (UPI) -- A Safeway grocery store in Honolulu said it would drop shoplifting charges against a pregnant woman who says she forgot to pay for two sandwiches.
Last week, a Safeway store manager had a couple arrested for not paying for two sandwiches they ate while shopping, resulting in their 3-year-old daughter being placed with Child Protective Services while they were in jail.
Nicole Leszczynski insists she simply forgot to pay, calling it an honest mistake. Store management wouldn't let her pay for the food after she paid for her groceries and stepped out the door.
"It was a complete accident that turned out to have difficult consequences," Leszczynski told Hawaii News Now Tuesday.
Related
Earlier reports indicated she forgot to pay $5 for one sandwich.
"That's kind of harsh to go to jail and have your daughter removed from your care for something like this," Leszczynski said.
News of the arrest went national in broadcast and print, as well as over the Internet.
"It seems like a lot of people are angry about it, as are we," Leszczynski said. "It seems like such an outrageous story."
In a statement issued soon after the incident, Safeway said it was committed to serving families, but "it appears we may not have handled this matter in the best possible way."
Late Tuesday, Karl Shroeder, Safeway president of Northern California operations, called Leszczynski to apologize. Leszczynski said Shroeder told her Safeway will drop the shoplifting charges.
The family feels vindicated and relieved, but isn't so sure it will patronize Safeway anytime soon, if ever, Leszczynski told Hawaii News Now.
