Is it is just me or are there more stories lately about parents involving their children in shoplifting expeditions? As a counselor for stop theft classes I follow them more than most, and I have witnessed an abundance of stories involving parents and kids shoplifting.
This is a truly disturbing story.
For the second time this week, two women from New Haven, Connecticut have been arrested for shoplifting, and this time they enlisted the help of their young children.
On Wednesday at about 8:30 p.m., police got a report of shoplifting at Kohls. Store security had seen two women, Sandra Torres-Perez, 44, and Teresa Flores, 39 leaving the store with almost $800 in items they hadn't paid for.
Bring Your Kids for Theft Day
The two women had with them three children ages 6, 12 and 13 and they allegedly had the six-year-old carry out a handbag full of stolen items, as well as wear stolen sneakers. In addition, the 12-year-old was carrying a duffel bag full of stolen merchandise.
Both Torres-Perez and Flores were charged with fifth-degree larceny, conspiracy to commit fifth-degree larceny and three counts of risk of injury to a minor. Both were held in lieu of $2,000 bond.
Nice parenting story right? What has happened with the role of being a parent in the US today?
Adolescents puffing on stolen cigars.
Moms and kids shoplifting is really messed up. What is up with the bold-faced type above? Could it be sizzling stolen steaks in a stolen toaster oven.
Those scenarios just didn't add up when police began investigating three kiddos caught shoplifting at different times and locations. What did add up was the influence an adult played in the thefts. Each time the youngsters got busted, the mother was in the vicinity.
Although Teiaya White said she had no reason to take her children or anyone else's children out shoplifting, police aren't buying the 33-year-old mother's story. They charged her with numerous counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Police know that she is using them to break the system. She knows if the kids get caught, not much will happen to them, and she walks away clean. Hopefully, the courts will take this as seriously.
But the children might not have required much encouragement as they have had past brushes with the law.
On at least two occasions, White accompanied the youngsters when they stole from stores off Niagara Falls Boulevard in Amherst, Massachusetts. Other stores in Erie County are believed to have been targeted as well, police added.
Proving the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, she claims her son and daughter also from the Amherst stores on their own on two occasions and did not receive any encouragement from her.
This is absolutely shameful behavior for anyone. It is most shameful for a parent. Exacerbating the situation is that the children were actually involved.
Sources: http://hamden.patch.com, http://www.buffalonews.com