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10-Year-Old Girl Scout Selling Cookies Robbed; Suspect Arrested After She Records License Plate

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Police say a quick-thinking 10-year-old Girl Scout wearing her badge for cleverness recorded the license plate number of a man who swiped her money box from outside a supermarket in San Jose Sunday afternoon.

Officer Albert Morales said officers responded at 2:46 p.m. to a Safeway grocery store, located at 1663 Branham Lane, on a report of a man who forcibly took a cash box containing about $600 from a girl selling cookies.

Officers arrived on scene and immediately put out a description of the suspect and the car he was driving, Morales said. Another police officer responding to the scene spotted the car nearby and arrested the suspect.

The money and cash box were returned to the girl and her scouts troop. Morales said no injuries were reported.

He said the 23-year-old man was booked in the Santa Clara County Jail.

People expressed outrage about the incident on Facebook.

Steve R Hoagland said, "Crimes against any child should carry a penalty greater than normal to stop this crazy pattern."

"What a Grinch! Shame on the person for stealing from a little girl," Clarice Louie added.

Barbara Ishizaki said, "Outrageous, this is teaching the wrong message to Girl Scouts! Isn't a parent/adult supposed go along with the girls?"

TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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