Here is another perfect example of why parenting is hard. It is parenting 101 that we should teach our kids not to lie, cheat and steal. But even the best parent would be a little caught off-guard by a teenager who steals thousands of dollars in cash from his grandfather so he can give out $100 bills in the schoolyard like candy.
A 13-year-old boy from Medina, Ohio, has been accused of stealing $25,000 in cash from his 83-year-old grandfather’s bedside table. The teenager was “caught in the act” handing out $100 bills at Clagett Middle School, after which he gave a sizable chunk of the money to another 14-year-old boy and another set of grandparents. These grandparents took the two boys on a shopping spree to blow the rest of the cash.
Now this enterprising teen who was using his grandfather’s money to win friends and influence people is facing juvenile delinquency charges. Medina County Prosecutor Dean Holman confirms that the 13-year-old boy was charged this week with theft of the elderly, and his 14-year-old classmate who accepted some of the stolen money will also face juvenile charges for receiving stolen property.
After the theft and shopping spree, police were able to recover over $7,000 and merchandise purchased with the money, including a TV set. The teens also used the cash to buy over $4,000 in gift cards. Police were finally tipped off to the theft by the teen’s teachers, after most of the $25,000 had been spent or given away to other students.
If the boys are found guilty of the charges, they may be sentenced to probation or could serve time in juvenile detention. According to police, the adults involved in the incident have not been charged yet.
This story has many questionable aspects, but there are a few that stick out like a sore thumb. A crime of theft against the elderly is never justifiable, but why did this teen’s grandfather have $25,000 in cash sitting on his bedside table? And why did this second set of grandparents take two teenage boys on a lavish shopping spree without questioning where they got the money?
I don’t know about you, but if my son and his friend wanted to go out and buy a brand-new TV in cold, hard cash, I’d have more than a few questions about it. This teen was able to easily commit a crime, pick up an accomplice, hand out thousands of dollars in cash at school and go shopping for a new TV before anyone tried to stop him.
Without a doubt, these teenagers should face the consequences of their actions. But I can’t get over the fact that just one adult could have put a stop to this along the way. The grown-ups who failed these teens by letting their charade get this far should be held responsible too.
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