Ohio shoplifter comes clean 30 years later with $1,000 apology

A few weeks ago, Kmart president Ron Boire received a letter from an anonymous 68-year-old Cincinatti-area man apologizing for shoplifting from a Sharonville, Ohio, Kmart 30 years ago.

He wrote that he picked up clothes that were on layaway, told the woman at the counter that he'd pay for the items at the front of the store, and then took the clothes home without paying for them.

"I walked out the door without paying for my clothes," the man wrote, underlining each word of the sentence. "I don't know what came over me 'God's truth.' I have never stolen before in my life."

The man added that he had recently rededicated his life to God and wanted to make things right.

"God brought back to my mind what I had done by stealing from your store," the man wrote. "I truly want to say I am deeply sorry and ask Kmart CEOs to forgive me."

The man admitted to stealing clothing worth between $140 and $270.

Read the letter (PDF) here.

With the letter was a money order for $1,000.

"Please accept this money order in repayment," the man wrote. "Your acceptance would be most appreciated. I am now God's child."

Boire graciously accepted the payment — and plans to pay it forward.

"Taking a cue from the good intentions of this customer and the 'layaway angels' popping up around the country, Kmart has decided to pay it forward and plans to use the money to pay off some customer layaways at the Hunt Road store sometime next week," FOX19 reports.