A Maryland father was arrested days after security cameras allegedly caught him instructing his 5-year-old daughter to steal a package from a woman’s porch.
WTTG reported that Gary Martin Smith, 46, was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit theft, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and burglary. The news of Smith’s arrest comes hours after Hartford County police took to Facebook and asked the public for information regarding his whereabouts.
https://www.facebook.com/HarfordCountySheriffsOffice/posts/10156746410412707
In their post, police said an anonymous tip led them to identify the 5-year-old girl reportedly filmed in the November 30 theft in Bel Air. Police believe Smith instructed his daughter to steal a package containing boots from a front porch.
Though Smith is apparently the person spotted out of frame, police said they issued a warrant for his arrest after detectives positively identified the girl, leading them to implicate him in the theft.
“I don’t even know the right words to describe how that is. He’s still being charged with theft, he knew the property was taken unlawfully whether he did it himself or the 5-year-old removed it,” Harford County Sheriff’s officer Jeff Gahler said, according to WJZ. “I hope that little girl understands that she has no blame in this whatsoever.”
[Featured image: Harford County Sheriff’s Office video screengrab]