In a disheartening incident in Flagler County, Florida, a mother was caught on camera allegedly shoplifting from a Target store with her young son present. The incident, which occurred on a Friday evening, has raised concerns about the impact of such actions on children and the consequences for repeat offenders.
The suspect, identified as 39-year-old Carla Nishikura, was captured on surveillance footage engaging in various tactics to steal merchandise. The footage reveals Carla entering the store with her son and proceeding to a motorized shopping cart.
Security footage shows a woman pushing a shopping cart with a young boy in the child seat
Her shoplifting spree began in the cosmetics aisle, where she selected a bag and discreetly concealed it.
The woman is seen browsing the cosmetics aisle
Moving to the school supplies, she was caught peeling off price tags from cheaper items and applying them to more expensive ones. This pattern continued in the clothing department, where she targeted clearance items and swapped tags.
Surveillance footage shows the woman switching price tags in various departments
Carla’s attempts to deceive the store’s security system extended to the self-checkout kiosk, where she scanned some items with the fraudulent price tags and bagged others without scanning them at all.
Security footage captures the woman scanning items at the self-checkout
However, her actions did not go unnoticed. An alert store employee detected the suspicious activity and intervened.
Confronted by store security, Carla initially denied any wrongdoing, claiming to have tossed the missing items. However, her story quickly unraveled as security personnel revealed the overwhelming evidence against her.
Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Carla had only paid a mere $19 for 12 items, which should have totaled over $200.
When confronted with the evidence, Carla attempted to justify her actions, citing financial difficulties and personal problems.
The situation took another turn when Carla’s father arrived to pick up her son. He revealed that Carla had a history of shoplifting and was already on probation for a similar offense. The father expressed concern for his grandson, who had witnessed his mother’s arrest.
Despite her pleas, Carla was arrested and charged with petty theft. This incident marked her second arrest for shoplifting in recent months, further emphasizing the pattern of her behavior.
This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of shoplifting, both for individuals and their families. It also highlights the importance of addressing underlying issues, such as financial hardship or personal struggles, that may contribute to such behavior.
