Police have revealed they arrested a California family who decided to go on a Target shoplifting spree on April 16.
Surveillance footage captured a couple and their teenage son robbing a Target in Upland, California, as per the Upland Police Department (UPD).
A shocking video compilation shared by cops revealed the family bursting forth throughout the store and snatching electronics, clothing and jewelry before they fled without paying.
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Once they entered the shop, the mother and son were seen hopping on electric mobility shopping carts to ride around Target and pick what they wanted.
Authorities were phoned about a theft in progress, yet the alleged culprits managed to leave the store before cops arrived.
Footage indicated the moment the son cruised through the exit on an electric shopping cart as his dad strolled close to him.
The teenager’s mom was then seen rushing out after them with multiple gray shopping bags jammed with items she didn’t pay for.
Nonetheless, an officer saw the suspects frantically driving their white SUV through a residential neighborhood as they made quick turns to try and dodge the police, as per Daily Mail.
Once the officer’s car finally caught up with their vehicle, the couple’s son jumped out, as the now-arrested California family had allegedly discussed, and he ran away with some of the stolen items.
The teenager tried to escape police by running through someone’s backyard, yet that only fueled efforts to track him down.
‘We don’t take someone running from us lightly, so a number of officers responded to the area, including our K9 and assistance from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department,’ the UPD wrote.
Meanwhile, body cam footage recorded a snip of an officer’s confrontation with the parents when he pulled them over.
‘Don’t lie to me. We already know. He saw it, we saw it all happen, who jumped out of the car and where is he going?’ the officer said before arresting the pair.
The teenager was soon tracked down and joined his parents in handcuffs, as the UPD posted on Facebook.
According to cops, at least 10 different pieces of clothing were confiscated, including what seems to be outfits for a baby, a PlayStation controller and a basketball hoop.
Although information and video from the dramatic arrest have been released, the identities of the suspects have not been publicly named and their faces.
This year, California Governor Gavin Newsom promised to reduce retail theft and property crime by a good margin.
State laws, effective in January, reportedly allow officers to arrest suspects of shoplifting with probable cause, even if they did not see the act themselves.
Also, the probation period for petty thefts and shoplifting was doubled from one year to two.
Furthermore, those found guilty of robbing a store can be banned from the location for up to two years, as per the governor’s office.
Should a California shoplifter be found with more than $950 worth of stolen items with the intent to sell them, they could face up to three years in prison.
