What can $40 and a loaf of bread do for a man?
Apparently it can turn a crook’s life around and help him get on track.
An ex-thug sent a thank-you note and a $50 bill to the Long Island deli owner who spared his life and saved him from a life of crime.
Back in May, the letter-writer attempted to rob the deli when the owner, Mohammed Sohail, 47, pulled out a rifle. But after the ex-crook pleaded for his life, explaining he was only doing this because his family was down on luck. Sohail spared the thief's life and gave him $40 and a loaf of bread.
"When you do good things for somebody, it comes back to you. I gave him $40 and he sent me back $50. It was a good investment," Sohail said, laughing.
The anonymous writer apologized to Sohail, his intended target. "First of all I would like to say I am sorry at the time I had [no] money no food on the table no job and nothing for my family," the ex-crook wrote.
The letter went on to say he "was wrong but I had [no] choice. I needed to feed my family," comments similar to those he made during the attempted robbery.
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"When you had that gun to my head I was 100% that I was going to die," he wrote.
"Now I have a new child and good job make good money staying out of trouble and taking care of my family. You gave me forty dollars thank you for sparing my life. Because of that you change my life."
The letter-writer wrote that he initially said he would convert to Islam only because he feared for his life, but he has since followed through, according to the letter.
The Islam convert signed the letter: “Your Muslim Brother.”
"That's the same guy I gave $40 to," Sohail told the New York Post. He showcased the letter at his Shirley Express deli yesterday. The typewritten letter had no return address and was mailed on Long Island the week before Thanksgiving.
"I'm really thrilled," said Sohail. "I'm very happy for that guy, because he is now doing good for the community He has a job and he is a good person. I really feel great. Thank God he's doing good. He's got a new baby and he's not in jail."
Suffolk County police turned down the Post’s requests for comment until they have reviewed the letter. Detectives investigating the attempted robbery in were unable to track down the suspect after reviewing surveillance camera footage.
