A nine-year old hid in the cabinet after stealing!
By bingskee
@bingskee (5234)
Philippines
January 10, 2013 7:33am CST
There are probably news in every country about young children caught stealing. But what about if you actually experienced finding a nine-year old hiding inside your cabinet after stealing some valuables in the house?
This thought lingered after hubby pointed a child to me who had allegedly stole two cell phones and cash money in a neighbor's house. He was brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) but the grandmother fetch the young boy and did not allow him to be retained. What a pity. I could understand the grandmother but I got very scared of the possibility that that boy will be caught around here, especially if he's caught inside our house. I wouldn't know what to do.
Care to share your thoughts?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
10 Jan 13
Well that's the reason why the kids are used to do such crimes because according to the law, they can not be put into jail. They will just be detained to DSWD and do some community services. However, in some cases, there are like this grandmother or fathers or mothers who will take the kid out of the DSWD instead. T is is to save the child again from being detained. And what is more hurting is the fact that they are being exploited by some tough syndicate running activities like, robbers and beggars. Arrgh such heartless people
@sriroshan (2585)
• India
10 Jan 13
But my friend you may be correct to some extend in this regards. But I thinks when the child do commit such act there may be some reason behind it, like their poverty or just for enjoyment or to buy something which they does not have. Under such circumstances I thinks society as well as parent are also responsible
1 person likes this
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
hello, mavic and sriroshan. i think putting children that young in jail is the answer. being in jail in such a young age will create more a monster out of these little boys. i think this is also the grandmother's concern. perhaps she feels that the boy will be in greater danger with others not realizing that there are more dangers that lie ahead for the young child being exposed with delinquents and criminals where some of them are even relatives.
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
11 Jan 13
Sriro.. you could be right but that depends on how the children were raised by parents. we were so nothing when we were younger then, we were 10 in the family and no one was ever had the problem with the authorities.
Bing.... yes, putting them to jail is not an answer.... and that's true it may lead to a more complicated situation. but really there could be no best solution to it...i couldn't think of any...
really this could be a problem... to the society...but you know sometimes it is not just poverty.... there were some rich children who had been caught in the malls for stealing... "cleptomaniac" 
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Jan 13
hi dawn here in Orange co Ca he would have had to go to Jujby hall f or a cettan amount of time.Stealing is still illegal and Grandmother was not helping him either unless she was ksending him o ut to steal for her then they should have locked her up for aidinga and abetting a crime.
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
dawnald, i was expecting that the agency could impose their authority but there are law provisions here in our country that allow the relatives to claim custody of the child. upon learning this, i got so frustrated. i know it is not fair to think that there is no hope for the child but it really looked like there is a slim chance for that little boy to get out of the whole mess he's in.
hatley, the grandmother is a loving person although it puzzles me why she have children and grandchildren that are delinquents and the others are known criminals.
hatley, the grandmother is a loving person although it puzzles me why she have children and grandchildren that are delinquents and the others are known criminals. 
@xtedaxcvg (3189)
• Philippines
10 Jan 13
In my opinion, the child should be detained at DSWD even with the grandmother's objections. To add up, the grandmother should be held responsible for his grandson's delinquency. If you look at it at a different angle, the grandmother might be pushing her grandson to do these things and then bailing him out when he gets caught. Of course I feel sorry for the grandmother and the boy and I hope that the government would have a concrete project for these kinds of scenarios.
1 person likes this
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
10 Jan 13
hi.
i am not aware of the rules. if it is required that DSWD must have first-hand custody, then the grandmother must be investigated first. we kind of know the grandmother, who used to work at the barangay hall as kagawad. she wouldn't push her grandson to do those things. the sad part is, the grandmother has many grandchildren and that boy lost his mother a long time ago, when he was very young still. the other relatives - the uncles - are irresponsible jerks themselves. the poor lad might have learned this evil deed from them.
i am not aware of the rules. if it is required that DSWD must have first-hand custody, then the grandmother must be investigated first. we kind of know the grandmother, who used to work at the barangay hall as kagawad. she wouldn't push her grandson to do those things. the sad part is, the grandmother has many grandchildren and that boy lost his mother a long time ago, when he was very young still. the other relatives - the uncles - are irresponsible jerks themselves. the poor lad might have learned this evil deed from them.1 person likes this
@silverfox09 (4708)
• United States
11 Jan 13
I would not know what to do , I would feel sorry for the child . I dont know what I would do on the spot .
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
i really feel sorry for the child knowing what he had become. now that i am contemplating on this, i am preparing a sort of speech and plans to talk to the child if that happens. i am not really sure. i know it would still be a shock to find a stranger in the house, much more a thief, and a young thief at that.
now that i am contemplating on this, i am preparing a sort of speech and plans to talk to the child if that happens. i am not really sure. i know it would still be a shock to find a stranger in the house, much more a thief, and a young thief at that.
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
11 Jan 13
While I do feel that anyone that has been caught committing a crime should be punished for the crime that they've committed, I have to say that I don't think that young children that have been caught breaking the law should be imprisoned. Instead, I tend to think that people young people who have been caught breaking the law should instead have to serve time doing community service and should be on probation for a long period of time.
@vandana7 (100282)
• India
10 Jan 13
Oh dont worry...kids learn their lessons fast. If the child did steal, then he would have realized that he can get caught. Not every kid who steals becomes a full fledged robber. At times, they do it ..just because they want it...and it does not occur to them they are stealing!!!
We adults steal too...be it taxes or honest wages of our subordinates. Compared to us, kids have just arrived into the world and dont really understand why stealing is bad. Relax...the kid is not going to come to your house uninvited. :)
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
hi, V. 
it really bothers me thinking what if one day he decides to steal from us?
well, kids learn but not all kids learn their lessons in life. the danger to this kind of situation lies in the constant exposure of the young child to delinquents, criminals, crooks, and the like. when i was looking at the child, he seems to have become calloused, unmindful of the stares, and of the comments, by other people. i am very afraid for him.
it really bothers me thinking what if one day he decides to steal from us?
well, kids learn but not all kids learn their lessons in life. the danger to this kind of situation lies in the constant exposure of the young child to delinquents, criminals, crooks, and the like. when i was looking at the child, he seems to have become calloused, unmindful of the stares, and of the comments, by other people. i am very afraid for him. @Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
10 Jan 13
hi bingskee that grandmother is not thinking straight as she needs to make that child know that stealing is a crime and criminals do get caught and punished.Unless she is acting with him and he brings home the loot to her but this time he got caught. Here in C alifornia he would have been sent to the juvenile hall for his crime and thus learned that if you commit a crime you go to jail.I feel that being sent to Juvy hall straightens out a lot of kids that were started on a criminal road.[
ou commit a crime you go to jail.I feel that being sent to Juvy hall straightens out a lot of kids that were started on a criminal road.[@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
i don't think the little boy is bringing the loot to her. it might probably be that he's bringing the loot to another person (might be one of those uncles). how frustrating really that the government cannot do anything for these little children who are victims, too.
@sriroshan (2585)
• India
10 Jan 13
I know such things are very much common all over the world and when such children are involved in the act actually whom to blame? Is their parent responsible for it or the society as such?
I had seen one boy after stealing some cash from his father pocket on the friends instruction to eat ice cream, after when he realized his mistake and with the fear of his father, climbed on the tree and stayed their till 9 P.M. Since the child could not find out any where they complaint to police and seeing police this boy started crying, then with the help of police he was brought down.
With innocence some children do such act and when they realize their mistake they act as you and me have mentioned above,
@bingskee (5234)
• Philippines
11 Jan 13
in this boy's case, sriroshan, i think he is being influenced by grown ups that he is probably in contact with on a daily basis. these people are crooks themselves. the boy lost his mother at a very young age, and he did not see his father, and was left to the grandma's custody. the environ he is in now will continually put the little boy in danger as most of the grown ups there are doing illegal activities.
