Police in Albuquerque, N.M., suspect two children, ages 1 and 4, were likely taken along to robberies allegedly committed by their mother.

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Police said 23-year-old Susie Zapata brought her two children to at least one robbery, which she allegedly committed with her mother, Maria Sanchez, and 22-year-old Crystal Tafoya, the Albuquerque Journal said Thursday.

The three women have been arrested for robbing a pizza eatery on Tuesday while Zapata's children were sleeping in a nearby car, police said.

Police suspect the women were also responsible for at least five other robberies since Sept. 15 and that the two young children may have been nearby for those incidents as well.

Police Chief Ray Schultz alleged Sanchez even left her grandchildren alone in the car to flee from police responding to Tuesday's robbery.

"She took off running and abandoned those kids trying to escape," he alleged.

The Journal said the three women are now facing charges of evidence tampering, child abuse and armed robbery.