Mom Shoplifts Parenting Book - With Kids in Tow

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) Jan 10th 2009 11:00AM

Categories: Just For Moms, Weird But True

You would probably assume that a mom who reads parenting books is serious about raising her kids well. That would generally be correct, but not in this case. Callie Rough, 37, did indeed show an interest in a parenting "how-to" called 101 Ways to Be a Great Mom, but she loses big points for the way she went about acquiring it. According to police in Oxford, Ohio, she tried to steal it while out shopping with her kids.

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She would have gotten away with the theft had it not been for the keen eyes of the clerk at the Dollar General Store. She noticed that Rough and her shopping partners -- her two young children and their father, James Rogers -- were acting suspiciously while perusing the aisles. When the family attempted to leave without purchasing anything, the clerk noticed Rough's handbag seemed to have expanded while she was shopping.

After being confronted by the clerk, Rough ran to the back of the store and began dumping items from her bag. She tossed out washcloths, hand towels, a small rug and said book. She and her family then ran from the store, but were quickly apprehended by police. Rogers was found to be carrying a stolen box of garbage bags that he said Rough had given him. He was charged with receiving stolen property and Rough was charged with theft.

I am perplexed by this crime. Had she stolen only the parenting book, I might sympathize with her as a poverty-stricken woman desperate to be a better mother. But she lost me when brought along the kids and added random household items to her shoplifting list. That's simple thievery. Let's add that to the list of 101 ways not to be great mom.

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Comments (45)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)

sherry 1-10-2009 @ 2:25PM

It was Dollar General for crying out loud! Stuff isn't even expensive there. You can't shell out a few dollars for some dollar store bin special? geez!

shelley 1-10-2009 @ 2:33PM

That is awful..They could of asked for some damn donations instead of stealing.We teach our children not to steal but in her case good moms teach their children how to steal..Trash bags at the dollar store are under $5.00..People do anything to make the news and internet..Hopefully she is thinking long and hard about this..How to be a good mom isn't all that in those books..Children learn from US not BOOKS retard..

Mike 1-10-2009 @ 2:32PM

Those kids don't stand a chance with parents like that, but it doesn't surprise me. I manage a department store, and we caught a young woman shoplifting on Mother's Day sunday, in the middle of the day, DRUNK.....with her child!!! That should leave a great mother's day memory for that kid....

KB 1-10-2009 @ 4:27PM

I have a sister who is a registered nurse, worked all her life to get her daughter elected to varsity cheerleader. Shoplifted some really unnecessary items from JCPenney and let her daughter take the fall for it so her boyfriend wouldnt find out! I bailed her out because she apparently thought I was the least of the family to embarrass. I hope they all find out right now. I wont keep her secret anymore.

UKNOWIT 1-10-2009 @ 2:40PM

Stealing food to feed the brood i sone thing but anything else is un called for. I would give her week ends in lock up for a month so she can see first hand the cosequences of ignorance.

BANCHEE 1-10-2009 @ 3:16PM

this ( mother & father ) what a REAL EXAMPLE of what a real parent should BE !!!!!!!!!!!!! THESE ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE SUPRISED WHEN THEIR KIDS ARE PUT IN JAIL OR WORSE KILLED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! because their ( KIDS would not do that )

Marie 1-10-2009 @ 3:53PM

For crying out loud how many wonderful parents are out there and there kids are in jail. Is not always the parents fault. I am not saying what they did was right, but that does not necessarily mean the kids are going to be delinquents.

Dave 1-10-2009 @ 3:18PM

Just teaching the kids how to survive. Its only going to get worse. The weak will perish, the strong will survive.

heath71203 1-10-2009 @ 3:50PM

I used to work in retail and suburban moms shoplifting with their kids was very common. They used the toddlers or babies as decoys and stashed stuff in those oversized strollers.

JoSmiles 1-10-2009 @ 3:51PM

Shelly,

I was with you all the way, nodding in agreement to your post -- until I reached the last word and you cut me to the quick. Your choice to call the mother a "retard" painfully insults every person who, like my beautiful daughter, lives with a developmental disability. Understand that the word you chose uses that disability as a standard for all things stupid or bad, when my child, who IS 'retarded' would never steal from any store.

noway 1-11-2009 @ 1:54AM

now really!!!!!!!!!!!!! that is not what she ment and you know it!!! get over it!!

Princess 1-11-2009 @ 3:39PM

Thank you Shelly!!!! I was hoping someone would comment on that. It's a shame really. It's common sense (for most) that derogatory names such as "nigger" or "spic" are wrong too use but it's ok to use the word retarded in a derogatory way. I wish people would realize it's the same thing.

Michelle 1-11-2009 @ 9:33AM

I was more offended with the fact that she was professing to set a good example for her children, then she called someone a hurtful name. Kinda undoes the good you are teaching your children if you are then turning around and teaching them that using harmful words is a-ok.

JoSmiles 1-11-2009 @ 10:38AM

Noway --- in a word -- NO WAY! Those words hurt MY CHILD and as her mother, I will not stop gently telling people that the use of those words HURT. Give YOUR CHILD a life-altering disabiltiy and then YOU "get over it." I did not call her names. I simply pointed out that the use of that word is hurtful. I even told her that I agreed with most of the content of her post. But tell me this -- if something hurts, and nobody points that out -- how would anybody else know?

Marilee 1-10-2009 @ 4:07PM

You know, what has bcome of this country and the people in it is really depressing. I see no end to it........Greed and stupid politicians (well, come to think of it, one and the same). People do not fear getting caught, they can and do use the word discrimination or raised in a disfunctional family....and they get away with anything.

Catherine McGaughey 1-10-2009 @ 4:10PM

It'a just shop lifting? do you realize how much is ripped off from companies by just shoplifters, it's in the billons, if there were no theft from stores then we wouldn't be paying these high prices.

Erin 1-10-2009 @ 4:21PM

You are a MORON!

kim 1-10-2009 @ 4:35PM

Parents begin teaching their kids at an early age-that way the kids can begin to shop lift and if caught they usually get off-but if they are not caught the parents reap the benefits. OLD news. It has nothing to do with poverty it has to do with lack of MORALS. There are churches, food banks, lunch kitchens, etc. to help. Our tax dollars go to a lot of other types of supports.

Renee 1-10-2009 @ 4:36PM

Bobbytee, it's one thing to be a racist...but you're more stupid than most! Perhaps you should learn how to "wright" before you post another ignorant diatribe. And by the way, did you notice the thief's child is quite white not black?

cordell 1-10-2009 @ 4:40PM

Bobbytee,
please learn how to spell correctly before writing your ignorant racist comments. The least you could do when insulting an entire race of people is use correct grammar and spelling.