Ballard police

Shoplifter brings child with him When a man entered a Ballard grocery store with a four-year-old girl, he was not there to buy her ice cream. He filled a shopping cart full of merchandise and then headed for the door without paying. When he was stopped by store security, the man said he was not leaving and had more things to buy. Minutes after putting meat into the cart he tried to leave again and was detained. The suspect told the little girl to run. He then followed her to a Dodge van and left. Police officers found the van nearby with the girl inside. The suspect was taken into custody, positively identified and was taken to police headquarters. The girl was released to her mother.