"Why would anyone steal a shopping cart? It's like stealing a two-year-old"

This quote by Erma Bombeck is a funny method of mentioning the absurdity of stealing a shopping cart. It suggests that the act of stealing a shopping cart is so outrageous that it is comparable to stealing a two-year-old. This comparison is suggested to be humorous, as it is unlikely that anybody would in fact steal a two-year-old. The quote is likewise a reminder that stealing is incorrect, no matter how insignificant the product may seem. It is a suggestion that even the smallest of products should not be taken without consent. The quote is a funny method of advising us that taking is incorrect, no matter how small the product may be.