Georgia Business Owner To Would-Be Burglar: You’re Hired

AUGUSTA, GA — An unknown man who broke into a Georgia business recently is getting a kind and unexpected reprieve from an unlikely source: the business’s owner.

Carl Wallace, owner of Diablo’s Southwest Grill in Augusta, was frustrated when he found the door to his restaurant shattered on Easter morning.

But instead of choosing anger, he tried a different approach.

“To the would-be robber who is clearly struggling with life decisions or having money issues ... please swing by for a job application,” Wallace wrote on Facebook. “There are better opportunities out there than this path you’ve chosen.”

You Might Also Like: Colorado Man's Family After His Death: Be Kind To One Another

Security footage showed the man rummaging through the cash drawer, but he came up empty-handed after realizing the drawer had no money.

Wallace continued in his post, offering his personal cell phone number and promising the suspect there would be “no cops” and “no questions.”

“Let’s sit down and talk about how we could help you and fix the road you’re on,” he said.

Since the break-in happened on Easter, Wallace told Patch it felt like "the perfect time" to extend forgiveness.

"Our hope is he comes forward so we can help him change his life for the better," Wallace said.

In a follow-up post shared Monday, Wallace said the outpouring of love and support received after his post had left him “speechless.”

“Love, kindness, forgiveness will always be a better solution than hate,” he wrote.