Meet the Pickpocket Family

It can happen in an instant. An open purse, a distracted customer. My wallet is missing. It's a quiet day at the old world food market. That is until we show up with our hidden cameras and our actors... See More

It can happen in an instant. An open purse, a distracted customer. My wallet is missing. It's a quiet day at the old world food market. That is until we show up with our hidden cameras and our actors playing a family of pickpockets. I'm the mom. We're the kids and we're a pickpocket family. It happens too often in real life. This mom was caught on tape directing her son in the fine art of pickpocketing. Will people turn a blind eye to a desperate mom teaching her children to steal? You're not going to get caught, okay? Mommy, I'm hungry. I'll tell you when to do it, trust me, okay. While our other actor lorraine is distracted, the kids spring into action. Wait a sec. When this shopper sees lorraine fumbling around searching for her wallet. I had it here and I can't find it. She sounds the alarm. The girl with the pink, i remember her playing -- with my purse? Yes. Excuse me. Excuse me, hi, I'm missing my purse. Are you saying she took it. I think that she did, yes. She won't back down. She has it. I know she has it. I'm going to find a manager to stop you. look, I'm hungry. And with those simple words all is forgiven. You know what, just put it -- give it to me and go. Take your kids. Give it to me and go. Come on, come on. Okay. Excuse me, I'm john quinones. Those were actors. Oh. I understood maybe it was wrong for me to tell her to go, but i just felt like if I did that both people sort of kind of win. In our next scene this liquor store owner makes a beeline for That lady just took your wallet. This woman took it. Excuse me? Do you have my wallet. When our actress diana denies it, she protests. No, they don't have it. I saw the boy take the wallet give it to you and it's in your purse. I was standing right there, ma'am. You can lie as much as you want. As lorraine goes to get the manager, susan peckman stands her ground. You know, I mean, come on. I saw you do it. We're just hungry. We're just hungry and we need food. Put it back. I need to feed my kid. She quickly comes up with a surprising and kind solution. I'll give you $20, okay? You don't take a woman's wallet. Please don't tell her I did this. Please. Don't tell her. Give it to me. Go ahead. Thank you. Thank you. Please don't tell the manager when she comes back. Just go. Thank you. Hi, how are you. I'm john quinones. Are you okay? I'm fine. I'm fine. I didn't know what to make it of. You didn't want them to get in trouble. No, I didn't. You gave her money. Yes. Because she was teaching her kids how to steal. I know. I didn't think about that. I looked at the kids and i thought of the time and what's going on in the world. In my own heart I did the right thing and gave her $20 but now i want my $20 back. We're going to keep that because that's how we make money here. We got to pay for the lights and all that. No. Now another theft. A shopping mom and a look of disbelief as the kids make a quick getaway. Is that your cart? Yes, this is my cart. That little girl took your wallet out of your purse. Here, going out the door right now. They're going out the door. Right there. Here she is. The daughter's got the wallet. C ochorla immediately addresses it. Yeah, yeah, you did. I'm going to get the manager. Thank you. My kids would never do that. How dare you accuse -- you saw them? She said yes. Then she ran and you were right there and you were all right there. She tells her to just leave the wallet and go. Just put it somewhere where no one can see it, put it in the meat. Okay? We're so hungry. That's what I'm saying, you don't want that to happen. Just pit it over in the heart. Then corless does something extraordinary. I'll buy your grocery, come on. It's okay. I'm sorry. Thanks for doing it. It's okay. Just go shop, go get a cart and get what you need. Have fun, get things you want. Really? Yeah, really. She'll pay but she wants diana to take away more than groceries. Go to rockland county, social service, call them. There's ways to help yourself with this. You're hardly alone and I mean everyone's changed so much. People are losing jobs. There's a lot of stuff going on so don't worry ait. Let's go up front. You don't have to do that, ma'am. I'm john quinones and this is "what would you do?" How much were you going to buy her? I guess it came to $70. You can use the money yourself, I'm sure. Well, yeah. Sure. You were hoping she would get help. Yeah, that's what I'm just trying to help her get help, yeah. To help herself. And finally today we meet lesley geary, a former tv reporter with plenty of her own stories to tell. I saw it. She took her bag. It's in your purse. Do look like I would steal a wallet. No, absolutely not. You didn't take anything, you have nothing to worry about. Lorraine marches off to find the manager. Please don't tell him. Don't say anything, please? All right. Really? Why did you do that? You need help? Maybe I could help you. Really, I have dedicated my life to try to help. Help me out. I don't know. I get it. I know you're in trouble. Or sad or scared or and you're in a bad place. I just need a friend. Do you want my phone number? Do you want to talk sometime? I'll take your phone number. You can just call. Just say, hey, I need help. I just need a friend. I need just somebody to talk to. I'm going through hell. Trust me, we've all been through something like why did we do that and then wish you could stuff the words back in. Thank you. Take off. You spent a lot of time with her. Why is it important to do that? S I mean as long as she puts the purse back it wasn't like we needed to call the police. You know what, a lot of people are taking a lot of time out with me. It's not like I'm -- you're passing it forward as they say? Just trying to do the next right thing. At the end of the day while everyone knew that stealing the wallet was wrong, most were willing to bend the rules. Some even reached into their own You can always go to our website