Detective Charged With Stealing Money From Convenience Store Customer
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Police were summoned to the 7-Eleven convenience store on Pittsburgh's North Side Wednesday to investigate a theft.
They ended up charging one of their own, Pittsburgh Police Homicide Detective Michael Reddy, who is an 11-year veteran of the force.
"By no stretch of the imagination is this something indicative of how our officers on a daily basis act, and this is something that we are not taking lightly at the same hand," said Sonya Toler, of the Pittsburgh Public Safety Department.
Police say an customer inadvertently left a bank envelope containing $220 on the store counter and exited the store, and that Reddy -- who works just down the street at police headquarters -- was in the store at the time.
They say the detective can clearly be seen on a store surveillance camera picking up the cash.
"The officer put the envelope in his pocket and went out of the store," said Toler.
When the man returned to the store looking for his money, the staff reviewed the surveillance tape and then called police who confronted Reddy when he returned to headquarters three hours later.
"He gave an indication when confronted by superior officers that he was planning on turning this in to the station when he got back. He was out on an investigation," said James Wymard, Reddy's attorney.
Reddy is charged with theft by unlawful taking and has been taken off the street pending his preliminary hearing. But Wymard says he expects Reddy to be exonerated.
"Mike is wonderful human being; he has a wonderful record as a police officer," said Wymard. "Everybody that knows him is shocked about this."
Toler says Reddy will receive no special treatment.
"So, we're taking this very seriously and we just want to assure the public on that. We're not trying to sweep this under the rug," she added.
In investigating one of their own, police and the district attorney say this is a matter of the public's trust and to restore that confidence they say this matter will be vigorously prosecuted.
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