Woman Uses Toddler to Help Steal Hundreds of Dollars Worth of Food

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When I first heard this story, my first thought was that this must be California, where thugs are going into stores and loading plastic garbage bags full of product and walking out without paying because they know there are no consequences for their theft.  But this story is from WWL out of New Orleans, about a woman who is using a toddler and stealing over $300 dollars worth of meat from a local grocery store.  And it's all caught on video.  This is disturbing on a couple of different levels.  First, she's walking out of the business with several hundred dollars worth of product, seemingly without fear.  But second, and more disturbingly, she has what appears to be a toddler with her, also carrying stolen food.

The toddler is approached by a store employee, who reacts very calmly, and takes the stolen food back from the child.  The woman, proceeds to leave the store with her ill-gotten booty, and leaves the child behind.  After a few seconds with the store employee talking with the child, the child goes out the door and joins the woman.  They get away in a black Mercedes Benz E Class SUV.  Yes, you read that right, they left in a Benz... But back to what's so disturbing.  This young child is at a very impressionable age.  What is this child being taught about morality? What is it learning about right & wrong?  About how to live and function in society.  The theft of food can be explained by several reasons.  Maybe the family can't afford to feed their children, ala Les Miserables...   But if you're escaping in a Mercedes, I find that hard to believe.  There are reports across the country of meat being stolen, then sold to independently owned markets, bars and restaurants.  This seems a little more likely to me, but that's pure conjecture at this point, as the woman is still being sought by New Orleans police.