By now, I think most of you in TV news have seen or heard the story about the 5 year old boy that got mad at his mom because she would not buy him a Lamborghini.

The boy ended up taken his mom’s car, drove off and headed for California to buy his own Lamborghini — with $3 in his wallet.

He was stopped by police on the interstate.

For most of you, that is where the story ended. But, there was more to it.

A guy that owned a Lamborghini, offered to give the boy a ride, the boy’s family took him up on it, and cameras were there to capture it for FOX 13 and KSL-Ch. 5.

Salt Lake Tribune columnist Scott Pierce brings up some good points, when he wrote:

On KSL, there were big smiles from the anchors as they told viewers the boy “got to take a spin” in a Lamborghini. “I know, let’s not reward bad behavior,” said reporter Mike Anderson. “We’re going to hear a lot of that today.”

Gee, you think?

FOX 13 also took a light-hearted, isn’t-this-great approach to the ride. “And it even gets better,” reporter Hailey Higgins told viewers, because a California company had offered to fly the boy out and let him drive their Lamborghinis.

Both stations also gave airtime to Neves, whose comments were astonishing. “I’m not encouraging kids to go out and take their parents’ car and do anything else that’s illegal,” he told KSL. “But I’m absolutely inspired by the principles that he displayed of success. Of knowing what he wants. Going after it.”

He told FOX 13, “The success principles he displayed were magnificent to me.” Seriously? The 5-year-old is just a kid and nobody got hurt, but he stole a car, drove it illegally and endangered a lot of lives.

Calling that “magnificent” is bizarre — making it part of your fun TV story is irresponsible.

I think Pierce hit the nail on the head. Sure, it was a cute story, but it was cute, because no one was hurt or killed. Imagine if the kid when the wrong way up the highway on ramp, into traffic.

The fact that local TV stations were making this kid out to be a hero and the fact that the kid Is being celebrated for stealing Mom’s car and driving off, is irresponsible.

Think of just this kid’s classmates seeing this story on the news of all the “cool things” that happened to their friend.

Do you not think those other 5 and 6 year olds won’t think about trying the same thing?

The next time, it might lead to a much less happy conclusion and the Salt Lake TV stations may be party to blame.

Just saying…