Decked out in his dress blues, a Marine Corps veteran who was volunteering with Toys for Tots outside a Plano Walmart chased a suspected shoplifter through traffic. A fellow volunteer and Marine veteran snapped a photo of Nathan Hanson as he walked away from the suspect on the ground, and he shared the image in a Facebook post.
"Once a Marine, always a Marine," said Alisia Dunning. "It's our duty to take care of those that are in need. Even though Walmart is not necessarily a person, no one deserves to be stolen from."
Dunning said Hanson didn't hesitate when he saw other volunteers chasing a man from the Walmart store on West Spring Creek Parkway in Plano on Saturday afternoon.
The Marines were there collecting Toys for Tots donations. Some volunteers were inside the store collecting toys, and others were outside collecting cash.
Hanson saw the foot chase and initially thought the person may have stolen from volunteers, so he crossed traffic to head the man off. At the time, Hanson said he didn't know police were nearby but saw a Plano patrol car turn and head their direction.
"He realized he couldn't get away, and at that point he slowed down and stopped and said, 'I give up, I'm sorry,'" Hanson said. "He got down, and I just waited there until the Plano Police Department came over."
Plano police say 25-year-old William Horn, stole $91 worth of electronics.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Hanson tore his uniform in the chase. A fellow Marine started a GoFundMe campaign to replace it, and within a few hours the donations exceeded $500. Hanson said he was embarrassed by the attention and that the extra funds would be donated back into the Toys for Tots program.
He says he hopes the photo shared on Facebook helps remind people to give to Toys for Tots. The Marine Corps League in Collin County is currently looking for volunteers to help sort donations.
