Man Had Kid Hold Flashlight During Robbery
By thom·June 4, 2026
Police in Pennsylvania say a man decided to break into an office building in the middle of the day… and apparently thought, “You know what this crime needs? A kid.”
The dude brought his girlfriend’s 11-year-old daughter along like it was some kind of weird field trip.
When cops showed up, they found James Harkless-Dechellis in an equipment room, casually cutting out copper wiring to sell later… while the kid stood there holding a flashlight. Like this was a DIY project instead of a felony.
Investigators say he admitted the whole thing—forced entry, shattered door, the works. And now he’s facing burglary, corruption of minors, and a pretty solid argument for worst “role model” of the year.
The girl, thankfully, isn’t being charged. Authorities are working to make sure she’s somewhere a little more appropriate… ideally with adults who don’t treat crime like a group activity.
Honestly, if you’re planning a heist and your first thought is, “I should bring a kid,” maybe just… don’t.