Remember Thomas Smith? Last Year He Was From Walmart Over Returnable Bottles – Last Week He Was Arrested For Bank Robbery

Do you remember Thomas Smith?

Thomas Smith was the man fired from Walmart in East Greenbush for returning  cans and bottles that were left at the store. The actual amount of the theft was about 2 or 5 dollars, but Walmart felt that stealing was stealing no matter what the amount. After the news of his firing went viral Smith received free legal council and $21,000 from the public as a result of a GoFundMe page

Well, Thomas was just arraigned last Friday on the charge of Third Degree robbery in connection with the robbery of the First Niagara on Monday, September 12.

According to an article in the Times Union, Smith has already served 13 years in prison for a robbery of a Key Bank in 2002 and has had previous problems with cocaine addiction.

So I ask you, was our sympathy misplaced? Perhaps Walmart was right and once a thief always a thief? Is this a case of the system failing Mr. Smith or a case of Mr. Smith failing himself?