HIGGINSVILLE, Mo. (KCTV) – A pair of Romanian nationals have been arrested and charged after allegedly involving their children in the theft of hundreds of dollars in merchandise from Walmart.

Lafayette County, Missouri, Circuit Court Records filed Tuesday, Oct. 29, revealed that Narghita Durac, 46, and Carmen Zaharia, 19, both Romanian nationals living in Kansas City, were charged in connection with a theft that allegedly involved children.

The Higginsville Police Department says on Monday, law enforcement officials were called to the Walmart at 1180 W. 19th St. with reports of a theft in progress. The caller reported that Durac and Zaharia loaded a full shopping cart as they pushed it through the door of the grocery store and got into a brown minivan.

When law enforcement arrived, they said they saw the minivan and tried to pull the driver over. A short high-speed chase ensued before the driver stopped in a Break Time car park. When officers made contact with the driver, they discovered that Durac’s 13-year-old child was behind the wheel.

Investigators noted that three other children of Durac and Zaharia, ages 1, 2 and 9, were also inside the vehicle, none of whom were properly restrained. Meanwhile, the $665 in stolen merchandise was visible on the floor of the van.

As the investigation continued, law enforcement officials said they discovered that both Durac and Zaharia had multiple warrants out of the St. Louis area. Louis.

Durac and Zaharia were charged with four counts of endangering the welfare of a child, resisting arrest and theft.

As of Thursday, October 31, Durac and Zaharia remain behind bars in Lafayette County. Both are scheduled to be heard on Wednesday, November 6 at 2 p.m. No other information has been released.

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