Hopefully stopped a small child from making a mistake

I went to my local Hallmark tonight to do last minute Mother's Day card shopping. In my store, half the cards are on one side and half are on the the other side of the display. So, I was on the side along the back wall of the store when I see a little boy (maybe 6 or 7) next to me, trying to put 2 candy bars from the front counter into his jacket pocket. I saw this out of the corner of my eye so I turned to him and shook my head at him. I then asked him where his mommy was (he was alone at the time) and he said she was buying Mother's Day cards and presents. He then proceeded to start looking at cards next to me. I was done shopping then so I walked up to the register to pay and "tell" on him . I described the boy to the girl working the register (I have seen her before, I think she might be a manager) and told her what I saw. She asked me to describe the boy and by that point, he was standing sort of behind me and I didn't see the candy bar in his hand anymore.
This happened over 2 hours ago and I still can't get this out of my mind!

ETA: I edited the title for those who were bothered by my wording

Message edited 5/10/2011 1:20:48 PM.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

You did the right thing. A 6 year old should know better. I am glad that you said something to him first.
Happy Mother's Day to you!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

You totally did the right thing. As a mom, I would want my kid to be scared as h3ll that someone was going to tell on him.

Then again I was the mom that made my son give his favorite toy away when he took markers from a store.

Go you!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Wow...little ones need to learn.

Was his mom around? Did he point her out?

I would have brought him to her and told her.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

I would hardly call a 6 year-old a shoplifter, probably more of a trouble-maker.
But I am glad that you made it known that you saw what he was doing. He may be doing it for attention, but you gave him the right kind of attention, which I am sure he wasn't expecting from a stranger. Good for you to not just turn away. That kid may need people like you!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

You did a great thing for him.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

You did the right thing... I stole Garbage pail kids when I was like 5 or 6... I told my dad when we got to the car, and he made me go back and and give them to the manager and apologize... I have never forgotten it to this day!



I really did want them...

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

you did the right thing.

its best to stop bad behavior early before it spirals out of hand.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

don't MOST kids at one point or another think about stealing something?

don't MOST of us remember our parents instilling the fear of god (or a good swatting) into us?

cuz i know i stole a few times as a kid but eventually got so scared about being found out that i took things back.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

you did the right thing - hopefully he learned his lesson!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

although i think you did a great thing, as a mom, i would have wished you would tell me first if you saw my child shoplifting. you're right, she could have put him up to it, but i still would have given the mom the benefit of the doubt. i'm sure she was mortified when she found out. i know i would have been devastated though if someone told a clerk and not me i would want to have the opportunity to teach my child a lesson myself.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Posted by browneyedgirl

although i think you did a great thing, as a mom, i would have wished you would tell me first if you saw my child shoplifting. you're right, she could have put him up to it, but i still would have given the mom the benefit of the doubt. i'm sure she was mortified when she found out. i know i would have been devastated though if someone told a clerk and not me i would want to have the opportunity to teach my child a lesson myself.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

really? a 6 year old?

They're still BABIES at that point.. I think you should have at LEAST told the mom before telling the "authorities."

how embarrassing for the mother! Kids do stupid things... I don't think a kid should be locked up for stealing a candy bar, but perhaps the mom could have handled it with a little less humiliation. At that age, I don't think humiliating a child teaches him a lesson but maybe frightens him.

Maybe he put the candy bar back?

Looking back, I remember how little & clueless my kid was at 6... If he were a pre teen maybe it'd be a different story.

I guess I'm in the minority here.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

I know I would be apprehensive to tell the mother.

I'd worry she'd get angry and I don't like confrontation like that.

In fact, I probably wouldn't have said anything @ all....but that's just because I hate getting involved in stuff unless it is directly impacting myself or my kids (not to say that what you did was wrong at all, though).

That being said, I don't see why it matters *who* acknowledges the petty thievery, be it a fellow shopper or a store clerk.

Obviously a store clerk/owner would not call the police in this instance --- in fact, this kind of thing is so routine with young children in shops... clerks/owners generally know how to deal with it w/heart and forgiveness.

And personally, if I were the mother of the boy, I'd rather a worker in the store mention it to me...not another patron. That is way more embarrassing to me, IMO.

Regardless of who pointed it out, a lesson can be drawn from it.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Posted by browneyedgirl

although i think you did a great thing, as a mom, i would have wished you would tell me first if you saw my child shoplifting. you're right, she could have put him up to it, but i still would have given the mom the benefit of the doubt. i'm sure she was mortified when she found out. i know i would have been devastated though if someone told a clerk and not me i would want to have the opportunity to teach my child a lesson myself.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Posted by OneOfEach

Posted by browneyedgirl

although i think you did a great thing, as a mom, i would have wished you would tell me first if you saw my child shoplifting. you're right, she could have put him up to it, but i still would have given the mom the benefit of the doubt. i'm sure she was mortified when she found out. i know i would have been devastated though if someone told a clerk and not me i would want to have the opportunity to teach my child a lesson myself.

. I agree!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

WHen first reading your story, I was soo shocked to learn that you told on a 6 yr old... And to label him a "shoplifter"? Yes, he should have known better, but it wasnt as big of a deal as you made it out to be... You shouldve said something to his mom instead... I never ever would have thought to tell the store workers first... Hes a kid... and a young one at that... Now if he was a teen or older, I would have gone to one of the workers...

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

What? I wouldn't be proud of how you handled this situation. A six year old is not a shoplifter!

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

You did the right thing!! A 6 year old knows better, obviously he is trying to steal and being sneaky, so he knows it is wrong. He is a shoplifter! That is the definition.. taking something from a store and not paying. Maybe if more kids got in trouble for this stuff they wouldn't grow into adults who shoplift more expensive items which make it cost more for ALL of us.

I walked out of a Genovese when I was that age and stole a pack of gum, my mom brought me to the manager and it scared the sh!t of me... NEVER stole again.

You weren't sure where his mother was, so you did the next best thing.

Re: Hopefully stopped a shoplifter tonight

I would have felt bad for him but probably would have done nothing. It's none of my business.