Sunday, while shopping at Walmart, my husband was nearly pickpocketed by a young boy. My husband was standing in the check-out line when two boys, who appeared to be brothers around the ages of 5 and 10, got in line behind him. There were no adults with these boys. The younger boy began to bump into my husband from behind, which my husband didn’t pay much mind to until all of a sudden he felt the little boy trying to pull his wallet out of his pocket. When my husband stopped him and they realized they had been caught, the two children quickly left.

I was waiting in the car for my husband and when he told me about this we were both really shocked — and really sad. Obviously someone has been teaching these boys to steal. It’s difficult to think about what sad little lives they must have.

Please be aware of your wallets and purses while shopping. Even here in Albert Lea we’re not safe from crimes like this. I guess we have to even be suspicious of children now. Sad. I’m going to keep those two little boys in my prayers and I hope their lives turn out better than the adults who should be taking care of them are conditioning them for.

Joanna Dye

Albert Lea