Tampa Bay Shoplifter Charged With Child Neglect
Ambar Rodriguez-Avila dressed an eight year old little girl, relationship unknown, in a Batman costume, and then took a little shoplifting trip to a local Publix. While there, Rodriguez-Avila concealed various merchandise under the little girl, and then exited the store without paying for the concealed (read stolen) merchandise.
When store loss prevention agents attempted to detain her, Rodriguez-Avila and the little girl jumped into a car and drove away. Loss Prevention took down her license number and called police, who promptly went to her home and arrested her for felony petit theft and felony child neglect.
Do you think those police officers have been reading all my posts here on the Bunker Blog about idiot parents and caretakers who take their kids shoplifting? Probably not. At any rate, it sure is good to see a police department who takes this obvious child abuse/neglect seriously.
It seems like this is a growing problem. Almost every week, I read another story about a shoplifter (read thief) who takes his or her child into a store and then commences to stealing, with the kid in tow, or in some cases, using the child as a distraction or even as an accomplice. Disgusting.
Before anyone sends me a comment about them starving and without food, read the news story. She was stealing candy and magazines, so don’t go there.
On another note, it sounds as if the LP agents (read good guys) did an excellent job. They approached, and when she resisted and fled, they did not endanger the child. Instead, they simply wrote down her license plate number and reported to police so that the situation could be resolved later, when it was safe. At least somebody at the scene exercised good judgment.
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Originally published at The Bunker Blog. Please leave any comments there.