Two store owners in Argentina were left in shock when a customer, initially mistaken for a thief, turned out to be an honest shopper who paid for his items despite finding the store unattended.
Facundo and Sofia, owners of Mercado de Origen in Buenos Aires, had closed their shop for lunch but forgot to lock the door. While eating, they checked their security camera feed and saw a man inside. "I automatically panicked," Sofia wrote on Instagram. "My partner called the police, while I called our neighbor, so someone could grab him."
However, their fears quickly turned to astonishment as they continued watching the footage. The man, later identified as Maxi, browsed the shelves, selected some items, and approached the counter, apparently looking for assistance. When no employee appeared, he briefly left the store, returned with a piece of paper, and left a note along with the exact cash amount for his purchases.
In an interview with Argentine news outlet Todo Noticias, Maxi said that he had entered to buy some nuts and initially assumed an employee might be in the bathroom. Realizing the store was empty, he decided to leave payment rather than take the items without authorization.
The store owners later took to Instagram to express her gratitude and remorse for jumping to conclusions about Maxi's intentions, sharing the video that has now been viewed more than 2.3 million times.
"None of us could believe it. I have no more words to say. Thank you, thank you and more thanks, and sorry for judging," wrote Sofia on the Instagram post.
Newsweek reached out to Mercado de Origen via email for comment.
In the comments on Instagram, people were grateful to see a positive story being shared. "It's not hard to believe … You just have to stop thinking the worst about people," posted one commenter.
Another wrote: "What a beautiful being! I was really depressed with everything that is happening and seeing this gives me hope."
The act of honesty comes at a time when theft rates in Argentina have been on the rise. The province of Buenos Aires recorded 98,805 theft cases in 2019, with 2023 seeing the second-highest period at approximately 87,548 cases. Nationwide, the robbery rate reached over 975 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023.
Experts attribute part of this increase to Argentina's struggling economy. Inflation soared to 211.4 percent in 2024, the highest in 32 years, leaving many struggling to afford basic necessities.
While theft rates have been climbing, Argentina's overall violent crime remains relatively low in comparison to other countries in the region. The country's homicide rate stands at 5.3 per 100,000 inhabitants, making it one of the lowest in Latin America.
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