Have the police scare him straight. There are programs to help children before crimes worsen as the child grows up.
Do you have a police officer friend who could talk to him? I had a student who was stealing things from her kindergarten class and the mom had a police officer talk to her. It scared her enough she didn’t steal anymore.
I think you just have to explain why stealing is bad! Like emotionally how it hurts the people he’s stealing from! I am probably being no m naive but it works for my daughter when I explain things to get in that way! Good luck!
Correct his behaviour by making him correct his wrongs. He steals from a store you make him bring it back and tell them what he done. He steals from family/friends you make him own up and confront them.
My friends who did this when they were little explained it is an lack of attention and food insecurity. They were hungry, and their needs for affection and attention were not being met. Some grew out of it, some did not. He’s not stealing because he wants to be a theif. Hes stealing from others because he doesnt have any other way to get something that is missing from him. When my kid spends too much time on the tablet, I sometimes take for granted that he is occupied and dont remember that he is only being “occupied” and not nurtured. Taking things away as punishment is only part of the solution. You have to model the behavior you want them to emmulate. Its hard when youre a working parent and have so much to do when you get home. Children this young should only have to earn what they “want” not the love attention and affection they NEED to build their self esteem, their security and safety, and the sense of worthiness that will follow them into their future. I wish you the best luck in finding the cause for the problem behavior and finding a solution that corrects it.
He needs a therapist.
Steal something from him! Make sure it’s something he will be upset about, keep doing it till he gets it
Offer him an allowance for chores or something, if he is stealing maybe it’s possible that he sees something he wants like a soda etc and doesn’t have money to buy it. It will teach him to budget as well as work for the things he wants
My sister done this when she was about the same age,sounds horribly cruel but it worked ,my dad had a cop friend and they gave her a good scare ,she never done it again
Whatever he steals make him take it back to whom he stole it from and give it back and apologize.
Have him talk to the store Mgr make him take it back or pay for the stolen items. Have an officer there as well scare him streight.
Set him up to get caught by a store. Let them ream him out.
Have the police have a chat to him about stealing
My eldest did this at the age of 4. I took him back to the store to apologise and then took him to my local police and citizens youth club and got a policeman to have a chat to him. He never did it again.
Get him in counseling asap also make him go back to store I made my kid clean the parking lot he stopped for a long time then started doing it again when he got older
Lack of attention and fulfillment. Try sports.
Take him for a trip too the police station.
Do what I did…have a police officer come to your house…take him down town in hand cuffs…
Take to police department and have them explain what could happen …my sister did that to her son for being disrespectful and talking back granted we live in a small community and the police know everyone. They just explained to him he might run. Into someone that could punch him.
My dad took me to the police station and I never did it again after that. I was balling my eyes out because I thought I was gonna go to jail 
My son did this one time. As soon as I found out I took him back to the store and made him return it and apologize. He hasn’t stole anything since. And just watching him go through that was enough of a lesson for his twin sister bc she’s never stolen either.
My son was 5 and stole here and there. One day we were standing in line at the gas station and a police man was behind him. He didn’t see him and I seen him grab a piece of candy and I turned around and said sir would you like to take him to jail? The whole store heard. Police man giggled and said okay I have my cuffs. My son I think pooped himself but he hasn’t done it again it since he is now 7.
If it were my daughter, I would take her to apologise to everyone she has stolen from and then contact my local police and explain the situation and ask them to have a chat with her. Explain what will happen if she keeps doing it. 
Trip to police station. Sorted stepson out after showing him cells. Police were brilliant
First you need to find out if he s being bullied for the stuff if not i agree with above
take him down the police station
Have a policeman come to the house and just have a little word with him,explain how stealing is bad and how you could end up in prison should do the trick 
Ask him why he stealing. Usually it is because of the weirdest reason. Most times teaching a good work ethic comes in handy ok you wanna steal 160 bucks guess what you going to work for that oh candy here is a chore soda another chore oh you wanna do this fine… match his amount also a trip to police station along with work oh also a really good butt whooping helps. 1 time usually does the trick. I lost my door and my room was bare because of my wrong doings.
Sounds like he’s acting out. Try less time with electronics & more one on one time. Personally speaking, I don’t think a 5 year old needs a switch AND a tablet. Sounds like he’s only getting attention by devices & slim to none from his parents. When children feel isolated, they tend to lash out in small ways then build up to much more noticeable things. He’s craving attention. Answer to his calls for affection before it gets really out of hand.
Take everything out of his room even the door , make him earn it back
I would take him on a field trip to the police department and let an officer give him a tour and educate him on the effects of the crime he is committing
I’d take him police station walk him in and talk to front desk they will understand what your doing and it will scare him
Honestly, it is my opinion that it’s better it’s happening now because you can intervene and hopefully help prevent this from happening again in the future. My daughter did this at 5 years old but with the right guidance & discipline, she has not done it since (she is almost 12) and has taught her sisters that it is not okay to take things from others. Sometimes kids don’t grasp the logic of these things or the chain of events that can happen after they do it.
Steal from him without letting him know it was you, so he can feel what it is like to be the person on the other side of it. Take him to speak with an officer, to come forward to the officer about what he did, but let him tell the officer so that he can feel bad about it. The officer I had explained to my daughter what happens to criminals and explained what jail is like and that he never wanted to see her end up there because it’s a bad place with all different types of “bad” people… and told her he knew she could do the right thing.
Clear out his room, give him nothing but a bed, pillow and blanket so he understands that nothing is what he will have if he continues to do this throughout his life… so he can understand how much that sucks.
There’s many things you can do. Some are harsh but sometimes we have to go to that level for them to understand the depth of what they are doing.
Therapy 
therapy:clap: therapy:clap: I can’t tell by all the electronics, this little boy probably doesn’t want or need anything, so him stealing is an impulse problem. Please get him help please before it gets worse…
have you tried stealing back from him? My first instinct would have been to do exactly as you did with my kids… probably woukd have spanked them for taking 160 tbh… but ive been taking the “postive parenting” approach and one if the rules was to have consequences RELATED to the bad behavior…so ive been trying my best to do this method lol. but anyway… maybe try taking things from him and see how he feels about it after… I know you’ve already taken things from him but what about if he didnt know or idk if i make sense anyway good luck mama!! 
just wanted to put my 2cents in. 
Tear his ass up!!! Then he returns items. His back porch would stay red until he
Come to reason. A little sting should start as the attention getter. Go from
There.
Since it’s gotten to this level I’d get him a therapist and a visit to the police station to talk to the cops
He seriously would only have e bare necessities though stealing 160 and from grandparents. Make him do chores for grandpa to pay him back
He stole a soda from YOU? How? He’s 5 and when they take food out of the house that isn’t for them, that’s not stealing.
If taking anything from you might be considered stealing in your eyes, maybe he doesn’t get why taking candy from a store is any different.
I would actually stop punishing the behavior so he can feel comfortable being honest. Are there things he often wants and asks for but you say no? Maybe trying having a day each week where he can pick something out at the store (with a $$ limit). That way he can get things he wants without having the be sneaky about it.
May be attention seeking! Ask police to talk to him, but also talking to therapist may be able to tell if there is an underlying problem! Good luck and hopefully it works out!
My brother stole a packet of chewingum when he was little he must of been around 5 to, mum didn’t realise until she started to take off in the car, she parked back up took my brother out the car strait into the store walked up to the security guy to tell him what he had done, he told him off she then paid for the chewingum but didn’t let him have them and he never looked to steal again… Unfortunately in this world you got to be crewl to be kind in order to survive x
Your 5yo son STOLE a can of soda from you??? Are you kidding? If it’s a food or drink item, you can’t call him stealing from his own house!!!
As for stealing from stores, that shouldn’t be tolerated.
Does he get an allowance? Maybe it’s time to start
This way he’s in control of the things he wants
I used to steal money from my mother to go to the local milk bar she wasn’t the best mother.
Take him to police station tell them to give him a lecture about stealing and what will happen if he keeps going
Communication 
… Show him that you are willing to listen to him and let him know to not to be afraid to come to you if he needs something. Make sure to sit down and talk to him calmly and explain to him why you are taking away his tablet, switch etc. And why it isn’t ok to steal/take others things. Ask him why he wanted to take those things. It is important that a child understands their actions and the consequence to their actions. It will take time and patience. If you dont want him having soda and that is why he is stealing it then maybe compromise abit at first with him. Allow him to have abit here and there as a treat for good behaviour. Take small steps at a time. Something like this wont change by itself overnight. Good communication and knowing he is in a safe environment and can come to you to talk and ask for things without him having the feeling of possibly being rejected and told no. Fear can lead to strange things. Make sure he feels safe talking to you without being scolded. Give him a way to earn some allowance so he has abit of control for the things he may want and it will teach him some responsibility with money.
I did this once around that same age! My parents set up an appointment at the jail we lived in a very small town so it would terrify me but once they took me to the jail and did a tour to show me where I would end up I never did it again.
Ask him why he thinks he’s entitled to take it, then give him a way of earning the things he wants.
How old are your older kids? Is there the possibility that one of the older kids is talking him into doing the stealing? I can’t imagine a 5 yr old would steal $160.00. I would definitely get him into counseling and get to the bottom of this and why he is doing it.
See if you can find a police officer that will talk to him.
I would say prob attention seeking! Sometimes we believe we are there and giving it all of us but he might need a little more of talking and maybe spending his time with you. Getting him involved in some activities like jiu jitsu also may help!
My cousin took some candy when he was around three. His mom took him and the candy back to the store and made him apologize. He learned his lesson. If my kids ever stole anything, they’d have to do the same thing.
Send a cop over and have them talk to him.How it will effect his life. You don’t do something now it will hit him later. just saying
I must admit that I’m baffled that you call drinking or eating something without your consent “stealing” and a child that is 5 should be monitored to the point that taking money is pointless. He’s not shopping at the mall or anywhere else by himself, so what does he need with the money? He is either seeking the attention he feels is lacking or he has an accomplice that is making the decisions. Finally, labeling him as a “thief” can have lifelong repercussions. He may decide to live up to your low expectations if he finds that bad attention is better than no attention. Please seek family counseling.
I would be taking him to see a psychologist, this is not at all typical behaviour for a child. Get him some help
Steal one or two of his favorite things.
Tall to him nicely like a person
Look up child neglect, stealing food or money at a young age can be an indication of emotion or physical neglect. Yall both need therapy and he needs your attention.
You need to figure out the reason he’s stealing. Is it for attention,does he find the reaction funny? If he’s doing it compulsively he needs to see a therapist
Take him to the cop shop and tell him that’s where he will end up for stealing as it’s a crime
When I was like 7 I had a problem with it stealing anything I could just because I could. My x step dad found out and made me sit on the couch for a whole week. I was only allowed to get up to go to the bathroom and shower but I had to ask first. He told me if I like stealing then I had better get used to what jail feels like. So my couch was my temporary jail cell. Never stole again lol
When I was younger I would always lie to my parents so they took me to the police station and they had a talk with me and I never lied from that day on.
If you consider taking food or drink that’s already in your home without you “consenting” to it as stealing, oof, my kids are stealing constantly. My kids are 6 and 4. Even though I’ve made it to where they can access food, snacks or drinks at any time on their own, they still come to ask me if they can have this or that and I’m just like “of course, you know where it’s at, get it yourself”. (This is my way of trying to teach them to be independent and figure things out on their own but they’re still asking for permission even though I’ve told them, they don’t have too😅) anyways, maybe he’s stealing money because he feels like there isn’t enough and he needs to save and help? My daughter, the 4 year old, likes to hold money. She likes to take it out of my wallet and just hold it and look at the details of it. I don’t consider it stealing because I’m literally right there watching her but I do tell her she can’t do this without me knowing because “mommy has very little money so if you lose it, then I have nothing to replace it with”. Well… there was one time some money was found under her pillow. I asked her where she got it from and why it was there. She said she was saving it for me in case I ran out of money. sigh so we had a talk about my finances very lightly. I explained to her that even though I say I have very little money, doesn’t mean we don’t have any at all, etc etc. Trying to reassure her that she doesn’t need to worry about mommy’s finances. I told her I’m not move to the moon rich (telling her that would cost as much money that could fit inside our house for her to kind of get a sense of how much money that actually entails) but I’m also not rubbing two pennies together broke. My daughter since then has not taken any money from me. So I guess what I’m saying is communication is key in any relationship whether it be your spouse, friend, sister, child! 5 year olds don’t have a sense of money’s worth or honestly the reason for money’s existence. I think you should find the exact cause for taking it, what he was going to use it for, educate him on basic financing, lightly explain your financial situation and lastly, discuss how stealing anything, especially money, can get him into big trouble, not only with you but the law.
How the hell does a chid steal a can of soda from hes so called mother
Have him with you go back to the places he stole, tell the people he stole and he is sorry. How did he steal your soda? My son was curious about my coffee so I gave him a sip. Maybe pour a small amount for him to drink. He sees you drink it and hes probably curious. When he’s at his grandparents don’t let him out of your site. Ask him what he needed the money for? There is a reason he is taking money. Maybe he a need isn’t being met, maybe he wants to buy you a gift. At that age they know money is used to pay bills etc. His brain development doesn’t understand the big picture of money. Sometimes kids act out because they need attention negative attention is better than no attention. I’d start with what I said but always have him bring the item back to where he stole it. Be consistent as well.
Get the police involved to scare him straight
Take everything out of his room except a mattress , blanket and pillow. Period. He wants to act like a felon treat him like one. Let him slowly earn things back with good behavior and grades. School and right to his room to do homework . No tv , no video games nothing. Allow him to walk laps in the backyard. Time to nip this hard, fast and early. Period.
Stop it now! My son did once till I embarrassed him at the store and made him empty pockets.
Children steal
Out of frustration, angry , resentment - find out what is bothering him
Maybe have a chat with the child. He may not doing this because he needs it. Maybe he is doing 2get ur attention bcos he maybe getting bullied or threatened by someone. Dats y he steals momz, granny n cousins. Thinking if he did this 2select few he could trust then e can get ur att
This is not normal behavior for a 5 year old at all and I would consult his pediatrician as well as a pediatric psychologist. This kind of behavior is usually indicative of something else going on. Prayers for you and your kiddo!
There are consequences for bad behavior. He’s not too old to learn from a good spanking. I’m not saying abuse, just a spanking. He needs to know there are consequences to bad behavior.
Take him to the person he stole from and make him return it. Make him face up to his behavior.
I stole as a child (about 6/7 yo). My mum made me go back to store, admit to them that I stole it and give it back. I cried and was so embarrassed, I didn’t do it again 
I suggest a cop and make him own his garbage. I don’t put up with shenanigans and this is what this behavior is. Look at me… Look at me. Its time to make him accountable for his choices. Tough love mama…
Wow really 
you beat his damn ass Sorry but this is all on you, you should have put a stop to this when it first started. Time to go back to old school and I bet he doesnt do it again
I dont allow him soda with caffeine. I do allow sprite or root beer. I also get him and his brother snacks and he still steals from me. I also do reward for good behavior
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Call the police station and ask for him to get a tour of a holding cell and explain the situation…the cops will shut him in for a brief second while you talk to him about the future if he continues to steal…it’ll scare him enough to get him to stop. Better to nip it now before it becomes a bigger problem
Needs taken to the wood shed! Then a tour of the local Jail.
Stop giving him candy/soda 
if that’s what he is stealing don’t let him have it anymore. It’s a reward, they are earned-and when u miss behave u get nothing…. I don’t allow my 5 yr to have soda at all….candy is a reward for good behavior. It’s earned
take him 2 jail and show him what will happen if he keep this up
You Are setting him up to “steal”. It’s his house, he can’t steal food and drink from his own house!
I have a feeling there is more to this am story. Perhaps you have made. A big deal about money in front of him. There is a reason he is doing this with money, you need to correct his behavior and find out why he’s taking money.
Take him to the police .
My son has an intellectual disability and was doing the same thing last year with candy and toys. He didn’t understand that you had to buy things before you take them out of the store and sometimes doesn’t understand that in his classroom he has to leave the toys there at the end of the day. It’s an impulse thing. We had his teachers discuss it with him at school and had a store owner explain to him what happens when you take things from a store without paying. He hasn’t done it since. The stealing money part is scary for a five year old. Something has to be going on for a child that young to have the desire to take money.
Have a heart to heart , ask him what does he get out of this behavior. I learned not to ask “ no or yes questions “ . I’ll say ,” why you feel like can’t ask for this ?”Something along those lines. Steal Christmas. Only his stuff. The entire day , he gets nothing. Now you can give it back eventually it’s up to you.
My 6 yr old (now 16) stole some corn cob holders (have no idea why lol) from kroger one time. I marched him back in and took him to the manager and asked her to make a big deal about it. And she did. He never did it again.
Figure out why he is feeling the need to steal things, punishment might make him stop doing it (and he does need to stop obviously) but its not going to fix the problem thats causing him to do it, talk to him about why he’s doing it, maybe his friend steals? Maybe he feels like he never gets the things he wants ? Maybe he wants more attention? I’m not saying these things make it ok but I think whatever is causing him to do it needs to be fix otherwise it will just cause other issues
Therapy. I’m not even trying to be slight, he may be a cleptomaniac I would highly suggest therapy.
Make him return the things you’ve found out about it or make him work it off to pay you back for it.
Id be asking why he is doing it? Has something happened to upset him? Kids have funny ways of showing they’re struggling…Sit your child down and have a chat and check in with them…See everything is ok x
Get him therapy asap!
1 March him into the shops he has stolen items from
And make him apologise and own up to what he has done
2 make him do jobs to repay the money he has stolen from you and his family
3 if that fails
Take him down to the police station and get a cop to explain what happens to thieves
Yes these may seem like extreme measures
And no doubt I will cop a lot of backlash for my comment
But you have to nip it in the bud now
Before he gets worse
I had 2 out of 3 children do this…I take the items I found no matter how big or small back to the store take them right up to the manager and make them return the item or items
When my son stole a pair of head phones from the local farmers market we had been going in for years…I told him You go back in and return them to that little old man and explain what u did …He was 10 at the time …His shame and embarrassment was enough for him to never do it again…
My son was the same way. I made him keep his hands in his pockets. And before leaving a store I wAs checking. I showed him someone was always watching cameras everywhere. Then I told him I will be the first one to call the cops. I wont protect him because there are consequences to your actions. He was hurt that I would do that. I also reminded him in some places they used to cut your hand off. I m straight up!! He got the picture.
You need to steal from him something important to him so he can see what that actually looks like to him he may not understand why it’s bad so you need to show him that it means that person will not have their item
1 time my son had a birthday party to go to…My husband wouldn’t give him money for a gift so he went to the store and took what he needed for a gift and got caught…
Ask the local police for help. They may have some ideas.
Maybe he feels a sense of entitlement, I would scare him straight with the police! tell him in other countries they cut your hands off, or the belt to the ass could work!