Police catch woman shoplifting tuna, then give her meal and bus fare home

The unnamed woman was arrested for stealing tuna and biscuits (Getty)

Kind-hearted police officers in Italy bought a starving woman a meal after they arrested her for shoplifting food.

The woman, who told officers she had not eaten for several days, was arrested after stealing tuna and biscuits, worth around £12, from a shop in Recanati, central Italy.

After being nabbed by the cops, she broke down in tears.

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She told the officers she had lost her job, was too young to claim a state pension and destitute, reported the Cronache Maceratesi newspaper.

She added that she had been relying on her parents but they had recently died.

After checking out her story, police fed her, then contacted a local church to give her some food supplies and then gave the woman her bus fare home.

Earlier this year, Italy’s highest court ruled that it was not a crime to steal food if you are starving.