You might have read a story in Wednesday’s Tribune about a 13-year-old boy who allegedly broke into a liquor store and walked out with a 40-ounce bottle of beer and a 375-milliliter bottle of vodka.

This story made us sad. It made us sad every step of the way.

The boy was arrested at a local motel and found with alcohol on his breath. He had dropped and broken the vodka bottle. He admitted to robbing the store. He described how he had used a metal pipe to break the door. Police transported him to a juvenile detention facility in Red Wing.

But what made us even more sad were the words that weren’t printed. How did his life come to this?

Someone must not have loved this boy. Someone must have shooed him away time again. Someone must have said hurtful words.

Perhaps not even the obvious hurtful words, like “stupid kid” or “little brat.” Sometime words like “don’t bother me” repeated too many times are just as hurtful, if not more.

The best crime prevention program out there, the most tried and true one of all, is love.

Hug your kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews tonight or the next chance you get. Spend time with them. Ask them about their day. Listen to their words. Make plans to do something special in the near future.

Shower them in knowledge.

Believe in their abilities.

Give them confidence.

Love them.