In January, there was an attempted break-in at a nonprofit run by Ralph Rodriguez, a city councilman in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

The suspect, who wore gloves, a hat, glasses and a mask, took off running when confronted by Rodriguez. All he left behind was a grainy image on a doorbell camera. So, he could have gotten away with the attempted break-in, if only he hadn’t reached out to Rodriguez on social media, offering his name and a confession.

“I have to be willing to face the consequences and that is what I’m ready to do,” he told Rodriguez.

For most crime victims, that would be case closed. But for Rodriguez, it was an opportunity. He didn’t want to add another young man to the prison rolls, especially one with no prior criminal record. So instead of pressing charges, he pressed for answers.

“I actually took the time to hear his story, see the environment in which he lives in,” Rodriguez said. “And I get it. Poverty has a way of pushing you to do things that you would have never imagined you were even capable of doing.”

The young man, 22-year-old Rashawn Turner, agreed to talk to CBS News on the condition that his face not be shown.

“I made a severe lapse in my judgement that night,” Turner said. “My father was struggling with basic needs and I was like, I can’t sit here and just wait for what little we still have to be taken away. I have to do something.”

When Rodriguez heard that, he did something. He started sending him money.