The following letters are assigned to respective person. Father (F), mother (M), thief (t), policeman (p), sons (s1 & s2), daughters (d1 &d2). And imagine that they are starting from the eastern side of the river |.
During the first trip, t will be taken across the river by P. The rules are still kept. After leaving t, P will return. So now it is t | P, M, d1, d2, s1, s2, F
In the second trip, d1 will be taken by P across the river and leave her back. But t will be brought back. Now it is d1 | P, F, M, d2, s1, s2, t
During the third trip, d2 will be taken across the river by M and will return. Now it is d1, d2 |P, M, F, t, s1, s2
In the fourth trip, F and M will cross the river together and M will stay back and F will return. Now it is M, d1, d2 |P, F, t, s1, s2
During the fifth trip, t will be taken across the river by P and M will return. So now it is P, d1, d2, t |M, F, s1, s2
In the sixth trip, F and M will go across the river and F will be back. Now it is P, M, d1, d2, t |F, s1, s2
During the seventh trip, s1 will be taken across the river by F and P will come back with t. now it is M, F, d1, d2, s1 |P, t, s2
In the eighth trip, s2 will be taken across the river by P, and then he will return. Now it is M, F, d1, d2, s1, s2 |P, t
In the ninth trip which is final t will be taken across by P.
This is by the assumption that the thief is left unsupervised. The rules do not mention that anyway.