A Queens mom and her pal — caught on video coaching her 4-year-old daughter to shoplift a wallet — were ratted out to police by the thief’s older daughter, who recognized the trio from news reports, officials said Tuesday.
Tisha Strong and Shannie Eastman were allegedly caught on camera on May 7 at Karma Boutique in Bayside coaching Eastman’s little daughter to steal a wallet from an employee.
But when Eastman’s adult daughter, Starasia, saw the video images, which were splashed all over TV news, she recognized her mom, sister and Strong — and called police, according to court documents.
In the video, a worker in the Bell Boulevard shop can be seen showing Eastman an item while Strong allegedly sends the child behind the counter and, according to court documents, was seen giving her a nod to grab the wallet — which held $200 in cash and credit cards. The girl was seen delivering the goods, allegedly to Strong, who stuffed it into her pants.
At 3:30 p.m. the same day, the pair also allegedly used the child to lift two purses containing cash and credit cards from a nearby store.
Eastman, 39, and Strong, 41, turned themselves in on May 19 and were charged with two-counts of grand larceny, petit larceny and endangering the welfare of a child, said Queens DA Richard Brown.
“Am I going to be on the news anymore?” Strong asked detectives at the 111th Precinct, according to court documents.
If convicted, they both face up to four years in prison for each of the top charges.
They were also busted for allegedly using the child to grab $900 from a cash box on April 10 at the Empress Travel Agency, also on Bell Blvd.
Administration for Child Services placed the girl in the custody of an older sibling and is conducting an ongoing investigation, according to a spokesperson.