Well...shit (tl;dr?)

some context: I live in an apartment that houses 4 people including me, and this particular suite-mate (lets call him jack) has been particularly inconsiderate lately (doesn't clean my dishes after he uses them, sleeps on the couch as opposed to his own bed, leaves his shit everywhere, etc).

Now, a few weeks ago I had a 2 beers in my fridge that I had been saving to share with my drinking buddy. Then one day I noticed that 1 of 2 was missing. I knew my roommate didn't drink and my other suite mate to our apartment was rarely even home. "Jack" had dropped out of community college, does not have or actively pursue a job and literally just sits on the couch and watches TV all day every day.
So I ask him about it, and he denies taking it. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and thought maybe I had drank one but forgot about it. So whatever.

Fast forward to last weekend. My drinking buddy buys a big ole 2- liter bottle of vodka, expensive shit, and we only had like 3 shots. Afterwards, she put it in my fridge to save for the next time.

Then yesterday I woke up and noticed that the same bottle of Vodka had been almost completely emptied.
I ask the others again, neither had even been home all week.

This mother fucker, he's gonna get it. I planned on putting my foot down and confronting him the next time I saw him.

right meme? meh, close enough

I walk into the living room and of course he's watching TV as per usual. I sat down next to him and asked him straight forward, "So Jack, quick question, when did you plan on paying me back for the vodka?"

I thought he was going to deny it again but to my surprise he actually said, "Uhh, the next time I get paid"

Then I asked him why he thought he could just take my stuff without permission and he couldn't really answer and just kind of stuttered. And when I mentioned the beer, he actually said that he had not taken 1 beer but two. He had said that he hoped that I just wouldn't notice.
He kinda had the look of a dog that just shit on the carpet. (at least he felt guilty about it)

Of course I'm still mad so I tell him sternly that I want him to pay me for the vodka and if he doesn't I will tell the landlord.

Then out of no where he started crying and I stopped.
He told me that he had been going through rough times and just wanted to forget about it. He said he didn't know where he was going in life and that he dropped out of college. He wasn't even able to pay rent and that he's literally waiting until he's evicted (our apartment bills by the person not by the room)

I tried my best to comfort him, I told him that everyone goes through that phase at least once in their life (I know I have). He was only 18, I told him he had plenty of time to figure things out. I also told him that if he needs help then he should reach out and not let it hurt people around him.

He said "ok" and he said he was sorry. and I said that I accept his apology.

However, I did not cave simply because he cried and told me his problems, I'm still having him pay back the money for the vodka because it wasn't mine, it was my friend's.

My main problem here is I don't know if I did the right thing. If I was too hard, or if I was being an asshole.

TL;DR: suitemate steal booze, confront suitemate, suitemate sad about direction in life, suitemate apologize, say ok and give advice but still make him pay for it by end of week