We never advocate shoplifting, because it’s illegal and it just results in price increases and even more annoying security measures. And we certainly don’t condone the use of children in the act of shoplifting because that’s just bad parenting. But if you’re going to have the gall to make your 10-year-old daughter an accomplice to your crime, at least set a good example by not letting the little girl take the fall for you.

This is a life lesson that has apparently eluded one California mom, who police say attempted to steal a cart full of groceries and beer from her local Safeway by having her young daughter bring the cart out to her waiting car.

But when the cart went through the Safeway’s door, it tripped an alarm, causing the wheels to lock up. This is the point at which mom could have fessed up — or at least tried to make some sort of daring escape with her daughter. Alas, she just took off and left her daughter in the hands of the police.

“She knew exactly what she was doing and that she left her there on purpose, not willing to get in trouble herself,” a police officer tells CBS San Francisco. “To sacrifice her daughter for her own gain.”

The mom did call the daughter’s cellphone, but when a police officer answered and suggested that she come by to get her little girl, the mom refused.

This was more than a week ago. The girl has since been handed over to her grandmother while police look for the runaway mom.

No charges were filed against the daughter.

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