A suspected shoplifter walked off with a $5000 wedding gown. And cops say she brought along a little girl on her shoplifting expedition.

The innocent youngster, no more than three or four, candy in hand, had to run to catch up with the grown-up, believed to be her mom. But she couldn’t.

As the suspected thief made her hurried getaway, she walked past another security camera, and a troubling ten seconds passed before the little girl appeared. Who knows what could have happened to her in that time?

“The sad part is there's a child lagging ten seconds behind her in an active parking lot,” said Police Chief Richard Trigo.

Chief Trigo said the child was actually given a role to play in the theft of the wedding dress from Seng Couture in Fanwood, New Jersey.

Trigo said, "A lot of times, people use children as part of the scam or scheme to create a diversion."

Sadly, INSIDE EDITION has seen other cases of children being used in thefts.

A woman in Florida placed 2 pairs of jeans on a baby stroller. Then moments later she stuffed them behind the child.   

And police in New Hampshire said one tape even shows a mother directing her children to steal thousands of dollars in jewelry.

Her children sneaked behind the counter, and then, police say, the mother points to specific items in the case before the child reaches in and takes the jewelry.  

As they walked away, the child appeared to put the item in her pocket. The mother was arrested, and pleaded guilty.