Below you will find links to two recent news stories about parents who take their kids shoplifting. I keep writing about this for two reasons: First, because it makes me angry that any parent would ever involve their kids in criminal activity of any kind; and secondly, because, according to my stats, you like to read about this. I’m not sure why that is, but I assume it makes you angry, too.

In one incident, according to police and Kohl’s Loss Prevention personnel, two women actually used their kids to conceal merchandise so they could take it outside without being noticed. I know, it’s an old scheme, and those of us in loss prevention have seen it over and over again. Still, it boils my blood to think that it’s not enough that these parenting geniuses would steal in the first place, but they involve their kids.

I have written about these incidents since I started this blog. One of the all time lows, in my book, for any parent is the case where mom and dad are so busy “getting away”, that they leave their ten year old daughter behind. Can you imagine how scared that kid must have been?

It seems like, at least once a week, there’s a new story about some so-called parent who brought their kids along an a shoplifting excursion. Some even use the kids as a distraction so they can ply their trade. The sad part is that the kids are being taught that shoplifting is okay, and even fun! It’s a game.

I’m not a big proponent of creating new laws, especially since we seem to have a hard time enforcing the ones we have, but it seems to me that we need to have special laws, with special penalties, for people who involve their kids in crime. The kids don’t have a choice, in most cases, but the parents, who are adults, do.

Moms Use Kids To Shoplift

2 Women Take Kids Shoplifting

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• 2 Women, 4 Children, And A Shoplifting Story

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