"Dad Told Me To Turn Myself In" — Little Girl Goes To Police Station After Stealing RM500
The 10-year-old child vowed to never repeat her wrongdoings.
By Yap Wan Xiang — 04 Sep 2023, 06:42 PM
A video showing a 10-year-old girl 'turning herself in' after getting caught for stealing 800 yuan (about RM512) from her parents has gone viral, leaving many netizens in stitches and with warm feelings
On 22 August, the girl, surnamed Zhang, went to a police station in Ningbo in Zhejiang province, China to confess a 'crime' she had committed, reported South China Morning Post (SCMP).
"My dad told me to turn myself in," she told the police officers, accompanied by her father.
The two officers on duty, Jiang Huoming and Dong Zhuting, then asked the little girl, "What mistake did you make? Why did you come to confess?"
The girl admitted to scheming an elaborate plan that involved stealing and conspiring with friends to execute it.
Zhang said her family owned a convenience store where she often bought snacks, but her father had barred her from eating junk food due to growing concerns about her health
This led her to steal money from her parents and get her classmates to buy snacks for her.
When the father discovered his daughter's plan, he took her to the police station and made a private arrangement with the officers to teach her a lesson.
"Actually, I just want her to learn a lesson.
"If she takes money from home now, she will steal from others when she grows up. I don't want my daughter to go down the path of crime," he told the officers.
Dong agreed to help the father, and demanded that the girl write a promise letter to repent for her wrongdoings.
"If you are determined to correct your mistakes, let's make a pledge and write a promise letter. We can correct them step by step," she told the girl.
Zhang nodded and began working on the letter before handing it to the officer 10 minutes later.
The letter read, "I will not take my mum and dad's money, and I will not deceive anyone. I will study diligently and stop playing during class. I will complete my homework on time every day"
Zhang sobbed as she read the letter out loud.
The letter was signed by Zhang and Dong, with the latter acting as the witness.
The girl then apologised to her father and Dong made a promise with her, saying, "We pinky swear that from today, we will work together to gradually correct our mistakes and uphold our promises. You will always be an honest kid with integrity."
SCMP reported that the heartwarming video went viral in China, earning widespread praise for the father's parenting method and Dong's thoughtfulness in playing along to teach the child a valuable lesson.
