They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Most fallen apples are rotten. This certainly is the case with the father-daughter theft duo in New Hampshire!

A father and daughter were arrested Tuesday in an alleged theft scheme in which he would shoplift items from a local store and she would return them for gift cards, police said.

Donald Long, 47, and Nicole Long, 21, were arrested in the parking lot of Home Goods.

Detectives investigating the complaint learned that Donald Long had been shoplifting items from the store since March and his daughter had been returning the items for the gift cards.

Donald Long is charged with theft by unauthorized taking or transfer; consolidation, a class B felony; and for endangering the welfare of a child. Donald Long had been babysitting the child at the time of the incident. Nice guy to have as your baby sitter!

Long was using the child as a shield to keep his shoplifted items hidden. Real good guy here!

According to police, the child’s family was unaware of Long’s alleged criminal activity.

Nicole Long would allegedly trade or sell the gift cards she obtained to other individuals at a discounted rate, police said.

Nicole Long is charged with theft by deception, a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail, plus fines. The class B felony charge that Donald Long faces is punishable by up to seven years in prison, plus fines.

Donald Long was held on $2,500 cash or surety bail and Nicole Long on $750 cash or surety bail.

Folks, help make society a better place and don’t steal. We all pay the price!