Thread: Parent Uses Kid to steal

I went grocery shopping yesterday at a local market. As I walked in a gril about 10-12 walked out with a basket full of food, none of the food was in bags. Then I noticed a guy who worked there ran out and caught her and brought her back. The store manager came right after and asked her where her mom was she didn't say anything so he asked if she was in the store and she shook her head yes, so he paged her but she didn't come right away. So I was walking around getting a few things and then I hear a page again, it had been like 10 minutes and that woman was in the store and wouldn't go to get her daughter. Not till about 5 minutes after that I saw her go and then the manager let them go with the basket. The woman was talking to her daughter in spanish and was on the phone, she acted like they were still shopping but they weren't, the woman was on the phone talking nervous. I guess she gave the manager a BS story about her daughter going outside to look for her or something like that. In my opinion the police should've been called. I bet we'll be seeing more behavior like this.

gemini282,

I've seen parents use their children as shields for theft. They like sticking high dollar items under the baby. I've seen grown men, pulling things out from under their clothing, in front of their children, and placing it in the cart, after they left the store.

It is very difficult to prosecute a minor and that is exactly why they put them up to it. If the kid is a teen, they will arrest them around here. At least it inconveniences the heck out of the parent because they have to come up with bail and go to court for the kid they coached.

Dixie

It's really sad expecially when I was with my two small kids and it's like how could you use your child like that? I think it's disgusting and if that's the case then the parent should be prosecuted too. How ridiculous is it to believe the kid is with the parent and the parent has no idea a child is walking out with a basket full of food? Where exactly is the kid going to put all the stuff at? I hear about this stuff all the time but to be witness to it is something completely different. I feel bad for the child and for society for when that child becomes a teenager and an adult. Her mother has already set her up for failure, and this you cannot blame on Americans.

Why are you posting this here? This should go in the "Other Topics News and Issues" section.