TOMMY AND HIS FRIEND, WHO RELATES THE STORY, WERE FOURTH GRADERS. AFTER SCHOOL THEY WOULD WALK TO A SHOPPING CENTER, WHERE THEY WOULD GO INTO THE STORES AND BROWSE. ONE DAY AFTER THEY HAD LEFT A STORE, TOMMY PULLED TWO CANDY BARS OUT OF HIS POCKETS. THE BOYS SAT DOWN AND ATE THE CANDY BARS WITHOUT REALLY THINKING OF THEM AS STOLEN. THE NEXT TIME THEY WENT INTO THE STORE, TOMMY'S FRIEND ACTED AS A LOOKOUT SO THEY WOULD NOT GET CAUGHT. SOON AFTERWARD THEY BEGAN TAKING BIGGER THINGS, SUCH AS TOYS AND GAMES. FINALLY, ONE DAY THEY WERE CAUGHT BY A STORE DETECTIVE. THE DETECTIVE GRABBED TOMMY'S FRIEND BUT TOMMY RAN OUT OF THE STORE AND WAS HIT BY A CAR. THE TWO BOYS WERE TAKEN BEFORE THE JUVENILE COURT AND THE FATHER OF TOMMY'S FRIEND HAD TO PAY A FINE. THEREAFTER, THE TWO BOYS WERE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY WITH EACH OTHER; THEY CAME TO REALIZE THAT SHOPLIFTING WAS NOT WORTH IT. (BAC)