Man Leaves Daughter Behind After Stealing From Store

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(NBCPHILADELPHIA) Police were searching Tuesday night for a Ridley Township man who allegedly stole five leather coats from Kohl’s and fled the scene, leaving his two-year-old daughter behind.

Andrew Surplus, 39, was stopped by a security guard outside the main doors of the Morton, Pa. store around 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, According to police.

Officer Keith Lockhart, who was on parking lot patrol at the Baltimore Pick location, approached Surplus. When he got close, Surplus ran back into the store and escaped authorities, leaving Aubrey behind.

A guard told Lockhart that Surplus tried to steal $2,250 worth of merchandise, according to the Delaware County Times.

Several police officers checked the area but Surplus was nowhere to be found.

The child was turned over to foster parents by the Delaware County Children and Youth Services shortly after. But was later returned to her mother Jackie Walter.

“No parent- No parent should have to go through what I went through,” Walter said.

Walter identified Surplus as the alleged suspect in the Kohl’s theft, police said.

Surplus had reportedly called Walter after he fled to let her know to contact police but he didn’t let her know where he was, she said.

He is charged with retail theft, endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.

But he could have cost himself so much more.

“I’m having a hard time trying to figure out how he could do this to his kid,” Walter said. “It’s hard, it’s really hard because now my daughter has to go without a father.”