Jail Time or Facebook Live Apology? Florida Thief Given a Choice After Being Caught Stealing

Zachary Stieber
By Zachary Stieber
February 14, 2018US News
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Jail Time or Facebook Live Apology? Florida Thief Given a Choice After Being Caught Stealing
(Bo Larsen/Facebook)

A man caught stealing in Florida was given a choice by the shop owner who caught him stealing.

Bo Larsen, the owner of the smoke shop Bohemian Lair in Cocoa Village, said that he caught Tyler Stanley stealing from his shop while Stanley was applying for a job.

Larsen said that he gave Stanley a choice: he would get the police involved, or Stanley could give a public apology broadcasted on Facebook Live.

Stanley chose the latter.

“My name is Tyler Stanley and I made the biggest mistake of my life,” Stanley said during his live-streamed public apology. “I could have had a great job,” reported News6.

The four-minute video was sharted hundreds of times before Larsen deleted it.

However, it was saved by social media users and continued circulating.

Stanley learned he was caught when he returned to the shop to learn of the status of his application and found that Larsen had viewed surveillance footage of the theft.

Stanley apologized but said he didn’t remember stealing because of his claimed bipolar condition.

“I really don’t remember doing that. I would have never done that if I was in my right mind,” Stanley told Larsen.

Larsen said on his Facebook page that he “Wanted to recoup the money for the item that was stolen and have the individual know we don’t tolerate thefts, and to deter others. (much better than sitting in jail)”

“I have worked hard to get to where I am. I have helped so many people along the way, and out of 500 + comments, there was maybe 2 or so who didn’t agree – for those 2, I am sorry. For the others, thank you for your support. Hopefully he gets the help he needs and straightens out his life,” he added.

“Everyone deserves a 2nd chance. This WAS his chance here. Hope this deters others, if it happens again- jail might be the way we go. Pay a fine, get a jumpsuit, 3 meals, a cot, get a record etc. We have an excellent security system, do not chance it.”

 

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