I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but very rarely are desperate parents the ones stealing baby formula to feed their baby.

Baby formula theft is done in large quantities by a middleman for two purposes:

1. to be resold at another smaller store, not any cheaper than the original retailer

2. to be used to cut / dilute the product in drug manufacturing

People stealing baby formula are not handing them out to grateful mothers in a Robin Hood style act of compassion.