Woman prevented two children from getting arrested for stealing

A woman is being hailed a hero after she saved two teenage boys from getting arrested for stealing, and her tweet about the incident is going viral.

Nana Asante, a Brit who lives in Florida, wrote:

These two black kids were stealing out of Walmart Security was watching them So I told them whatever you got in your pockets right now walk with me to the register and don’t question me I copped the deodorant they were about to steal for them I couldn’t let them go to jail.

Asante had been shopping in a Walmart in Atlanta – where she relocated from London – when she noticed one boy putting something in his pocket as the other covered him.

She realised the security guard was watching them, and decided to walk them to the till to pay for the $4 deodorant they were about to steal.

Speaking to Uniladexclusively, she recalled:

When I saw it happen I was like, ‘Oh my God.' I saw the security guard walking towards them so I went round the corner, took them and said, ‘Come with me, ask no questions, follow me to the register.’

The little boy said, ‘We’re sorry ma’am,’ and I said, 'You couldn’t ask anybody!?’ The other said their mother had died last year so it was just him, his brother and two little sisters living with their grandmother.

It turns out the boys were just 13 and 14 years old. Touched by their story, Asante gave them all of the money in her purse.

People online praised her quick thinking.

Walmart spotted her tweet and offered her praise, too

She was inspired to create #TheCoolAuntieNetwork as a way to bring NGOs together.

More: 5 examples of extreme white privilege

More: Racism is widespread within the LGBT+ community, Stonewall research reveals