Trik: Real world virtue signaling.
Had a camera crew on site to video it all.

You're confusing virtue signaling with virtue.  Virtue signaling would be making an online post or tweet about it, maybe a token donation.  Also, this is The Rock.  People with cameras are always following him around.  These days, celebrities often have someone recording them in public to stave off frivolous lawsuits.

ReapTheChaos: Class act? So the way to absolve yourself of past thievery is to go and buy the item you once stole? How exactly does that make the store whole?

Got a better idea?  It was petty theft that is doubtless past the point where it can be prosecuted and he was a juvenile at the time and so technically not legally responsible anyway.  Impulse items like candy are marked up substantially in convenience stores so him buying the store out makes the store a tidy profit.  Probably evens things up.  Buying everyone else's stuff too and tipping the cashiers was just him being nice.   A whole lotta cynics and sourpusses here today.

ReapTheChaos: Persnickety: ReapTheChaos: Class act? So the way to absolve yourself of past thievery is to go and buy the item you once stole? How exactly does that make the store whole?

Got a better idea?  It was petty theft that is doubtless past the point where it can be prosecuted and he was a juvenile at the time and so technically not legally responsible anyway.  Impulse items like candy are marked up substantially in convenience stores so him buying the store out makes the store a tidy profit.  Probably evens things up.  Buying everyone else's stuff too and tipping the cashiers was just him being nice.   A whole lotta cynics and sourpusses here today.


buying the store out makes the store a tidy profit - How the hell you figure that? They would have made that profit anyway when other customers bought the candy.

Ya know, retail and capitalism aren't really all that hard to understand but let me explain anyway: When a retailer sells out of an item, they don't leave the shelf empty.  They go and restock it.  That gives them the opportunity to make even more sales from those "other customers" you mentioned.  There's also this notion in capitalism called "time value of money,", i.e. money received today is better than money in the future, especially when it's only possible future money.  Finally, anyone who has ever worked in any retail business involving food knows that all foods have this thing called a "shelf life."  Food retailers never sell out their entire inventory before some of it expires.  There is always waste.  You don't make any profit on waste.  To the contrary, it is a loss item on the balance sheet.


Probably evens things up - It doesn't make anything even, they're still out the money on the candy he stole years ago.

See above.


Got a better idea? - Yeah, he could have just given the owner cash, or paid the rent or utilities on the store for a month.

Was the owner there?  Chances are it's some faceless corporation anyway.  Businesses can't just take in money willy nilly.  It has to be connected with their actual business.  Anything else looks like money laundering.   The books need to balance and every transaction must be legitimate.  So no, there is probably no way you can simply give money to the store.


In addition, paying for other customers purchases and tipping the employees did nothing to make the owner of the store whole.

I never said it did.  I just said it was a nice thing to do.


I can't believe people need this explained to them.

Indeed.  You'd think living in a capitalistic society people would at least be somewhat familiar with how businesses work.


Look, I  have nothing against the guy, it was a petty crime from years ago, I'm sure everyone has shoplifted at least once in their lives, but acting like he's some sort of saint, or that he "set things right" is ridiculous.

You're the only one calling him a saint.  Why the strawman?  Dude did something nice that he was under no obligation to do and all people can do is look for an angle.  Kinda sad.