Tesco has offered a job to a man caught shoplifting in one of its Malaysian stores after hearing that he stole to feed his three children.

The 31-year-old, who did wish to be named, was caught stealing food worth RM27 (£4.64) from a Tesco supermarket in northern town of Bukit Mertajam last week.

But instead of reporting him to the police, the store’s general manager Radzuan Ma’asan offered him a job when he heard about his plight.

The man - who has three children between two and seven - told the local Star newspaper: “I had quit my job as a contract worker after my wife fell into a coma during a birth complication last week”.

He said he was walking to his relative’s house where he was staying after visiting her in the hospital with his two-year-old son when they passed the Tesco.

“After walking for more than an hour, we went to the food section and I grabbed the pears, apples and a few bottles of drinks”, he said.

When he was caught on the way out of the store, instead of reporting him to the police Mr Ma’asan decided to offer him a job.

He said: “The man’s situation really touched our hearts. We visited his relative’s house. It was so empty and poor.

“He was not a regular thief. When we questioned him, he immediately confessed, saying that he stole the fruits and drinks because his son was hungry.

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“In my 23 years of experience in the retail line, I had never come across thieves who admitted their act so easily. Most would give all kinds of reasons. He also told us that he was unable to work as he has to look after his three children, aged two to seven.

“So, we decided not to lodge a police report as this was a genuine case of extreme poverty.”

He said they had not decided what type of job the man will be doing but their priority now would be to ensure he enrols his seven-year-old son in school.

They have also given him cash to cover his expenses until he can bring in a wage.