For weeks, I watched camera footage and set traps to catch the thief stealing from my small grocery store. I was determined to find out who was taking my goods.I ran the store for years, and though competition grew, I kept it running. Many customers had been coming for decades, and I cherished the relationships with them. But recently, I noticed things going missing from the shelves—more than just a few items.

I decided to install cameras to catch the culprit.After days of watching the footage, I saw a hooded figure taking items. When I presented the footage to the police, they showed little interest. I went ahead and installed an alarm system, but the thefts continued. One night, I decided to stay at the store and catch the thief myself. When I confronted the thief, it was a boy—no older than 14.