I have been known to jump too quickly on stories of late :P, but this one seems pretty hard to defend.  Maybe police figure if they let her off then others will come forward and say the same things about their relatives?  Anyone have a better theory?

that it is OK for these roving gangs of senior citizen thugs to roam the streets pillaging the stores for Depends, denture adhesive and other luxury items? She has probably been stealing for the last 60 years and will finally meet justice.