Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be faced with the knowledge that a crime that had been committed, no matter how minor or major, was actually something for which your child was responsible? Would you do the right thing?
A story that appeared recently on Buford Patch details how a Buford mom called police after learning her 17-year-old son had purchased alcohol from a local convenience store. She, however, dealt with her son and asked the police to deal with the retailer - not too tough a decision to make. But last year there was another case, detailed in a story asking the same question on Wilton Patch. In that case, a man realized it was his son in some surveillance footage ransacking an electronics stores. The story went on to say that over $65,000 in merchandise had been stolen. The dad had a tough choice – call the police on his son or pretend he didn’t realize it was his own son who was the thief. The dad persuaded the son that he needed to turn himself in and they drove to the police station together.
But what if it was an even more serious crime? When faced with such a decision - what do you think you would do?
Then, someone else steals from that store. The thief didn't violate the store owner's right to private property, and his expectations that his goods would stay in the shop until customers purchased them? I think Amy's statement was incredibly balanced.
But I would be prayerful, like Amy said, to know the best way to handle it.