A three-year-old was filmed putting sweets inside her pyjamas after allegedly being taught to steal by a parent, according to a Glasgow shop owner.
CCTV footage appears to show the young girl, whom retailer Shamly Sud believes was no older than three, taking bags of sweets from shelves and concealing them in her clothing.
The child was seen coming around a corner with an Oasis bottle in one hand and another item in the other at the Glasgow store in October.
Wearing Lilo & Stitch pyjamas, the youngster turned her back to the camera while allegedly hiding what Ms Sud described as “high-value American food products”.
She then took several packets of sweets from another shelf, placed the bottle on the floor and concealed more goods in her pyjamas.
The child later returned for the items she had left on the ground before taking them to the till, the owner said. The incident has been reported to police.
Ms Sud, 55, said she was “gobsmacked” when she reviewed the footage and alleged that the girl’s parent and a younger sibling created a distraction during the incident.
She said the child’s movements, particularly the way she kept her back to the camera, made it “clear” to her that the girl had been given instructions.
“We noticed that some items were missing, and when we checked the CCTV, we were shocked to see it involved such a young child,” said Ms Sud, who has worked full time in retail since 2011.
CCTV appears to show a girl believed by shop owner Shamly Sud to be no older than three taking sweets from the shelves and hiding them in her pyjamas
The child was filmed carrying an Oasis bottle and another item as she walked around the Glasgow store in October
“The child could not have been more than three. She came into the shop with her mother and a younger sibling.”
Ms Sud added: “I am simply gobsmacked that a child so young could have been trained to steal by a parent.
“We have all seen a child in a pram pick something up accidentally, at which point the parent says, ‘Oh my God,’ and puts it back.
“This was clearly calculated. A parent’s role is to nurture children and help them become better than we are. Instead, this child appears to be being taught to steal.”
The independent retailer, which operates 11 outlets, said shoplifting had reached unprecedented levels.
Crime figures published in June showed that Scotland recorded 53,369 shop thefts, equivalent to 146 incidents a day.
The total was 19 per cent higher than the previous year and had nearly doubled over the past decade.
The shop owner also alleged that the mother used another child, whom she estimated to be about two years old, as a distraction.
“The mother then went on to pay for the items that had been placed down, which made it appear as though the whole thing had been planned,” Ms Sud claimed.
Insisting that no child is “born a thief”, she said: “They are taught to do it. The responsibility lies entirely with the mother.”
Ms Sud has faced criticism since posting the footage online, but said she wanted to draw attention to the wider issue.
“People have said they cannot believe we shared this, but the focus should be on the fact that children are being groomed to steal from an incredibly young age.
“They do not understand how serious the problem has become or how frequently this is happening in retail.
“People need to recognise how serious this is. It is the worst I have ever seen, and this is the most shocking incident I have witnessed.
“It makes you worry about the future—not just the message being sent to children, but how much worse the situation could become. There needs to be a stronger deterrent.”
Although the retailer said she reports every theft to police, she admitted that she “deep down” expects little to happen, while hoping officers might still take action.
“We reported this incident in the same way, but we have not heard anything back,” she said.
Ms Sud, who runs six forecourts and five convenience stores, said: “Seeing something like this involving such a young child is both absurd and deeply troubling.
“This is the issue that needs to be addressed. There is no real deterrent against retail crime, and people no longer seem afraid to commit it.”
Mary Glasgow, chief executive of Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity, said: “We must remember that children are the victims. The criminals are the adults who exploit their vulnerability, using fear and control to keep them trapped and silent.
The shop owner alleged that the girl’s mother used another child, believed to be about two, as a distraction
“The effects of exploitation can be profound and lifelong, damaging a child’s mental health, education and future. Young victims need compassion, understanding, protection and specialist support to recover—not blame.”
Last month, Victims and Community Safety Minister Kirsten Oswald said it was vital to recognise that children can be exploited into committing crimes by serious organised criminals “for their own despicable ends”.
The Scottish Government is supporting the Fearless campaign, a Crimestoppers initiative encouraging young people to report information about child exploitation and helping those affected access support.
Dr Pete Cheema OBE, chief executive of the Scottish Grocers Federation, said: “Reports of young children being used to shoplift are deeply troubling and raise serious concerns about the exploitation of vulnerable children by organised criminal groups.”