Police: Mother had two kids assist in shoplifting at Peachtree Mall
A 29-year-old mother had her two children under the age of 10 assist her shoplifting on Saturday night at the Peachtree Mall in Columbus, according to testimony today in Recorder’s Court.
Lavette Thompson, the accused, pleaded not guilty to one felony count of shoplifting and one misdemeanor count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. She was ordered held in the Muscogee County Jail under bonds totaling $3,500.
Her case was bound over to Superior Court.
Columbus police Cpl. Jose Marrero said an officer was called to the Macy’s department store in the Peachtree Mall at 3131 Manchester Expressway around 9 p.m. Saturday to investigate a shoplifting.
A Macy’s security officer said he witnessed Thompson conceal nearly $200 worth of items into bags, hand them to her two children and attempt to leave the store without paying for the merchandise, police testified.
Marrero said Thompson has used her kids to shoplift at least twice before Saturday with one of those incidents occurring at a local Wal-Mart. He said the children, ages 9 and 8, were “definitely traumatized” after watching their mother get handcuffed on the scene.
Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92
This story was originally published June 13, 2016 at 12:41 PM with the headline "Police: Mother had two kids assist in shoplifting at Peachtree Mall."