A Fairfax County Police Department officer faces two counts of misdemeanor shoplifting after, the department says, he shoplifted from two local Target stores.
The two incidents took place on Sept. 22, the police said in a release Friday. Master Police Officer Scott Abram, 44, is accused of using the barcode of a less expensive item to hide the barcode of a more expensive item while checking out of a Target in Burke before exiting the store with both items at around 1 p.m.
Mr. Abram was in uniform and on duty at the time of the first alleged shoplifting incident, police said.
People were interested in these podcasts
Staff at another Target located at the Springfield Town Center shopping mall alleged that Mr. Abram committed a similar act of shoplifting at their store at around 5 p.m. the same day. At the time, Mr. Abram, a 23-year veteran of the department and a part of the school resource officer unit, was off duty, police said.
Sources familiar with the investigation told WJLA-TV that the merchandise Mr. Abram is accused of shoplifting was Magic: The Gathering trading and playing cards.
The police said that Mr. Abram was put on administrative leave once the department learned about the two incidents. The department told FFXNow that he is going to retire effective next Friday instead of being terminated.
Mr. Abram most recently worked at Hayfield Secondary School in Alexandria, according to WJLA-TV.
Mr. Abram was charged on Thursday and released on criminal summons. The police did not say when he is next due to appear in court.
“I am disheartened that a police officer has betrayed the public trust with these intentional acts of criminal misconduct. It is unacceptable, and I will not tolerate it,” Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said in the release.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.