THE THIN BLUE LINE
Deputy John Reed, 44, was arrested Saturday and resigned from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies said he was hired in 2004 as a detention support specialist and became a detention deputy in July 2005. He left PCSO in 2012, but was rehired as a detention deputy in July 2021, and had nine total years with the agency.
Reed went into the Walmart on Church Avenue North in Mulberry on nine occasions between November 4 and December 3, Polk County deputies said. He intentionally did not scan items in the self-checkout lane, and each of the fraudulent transactions were captured on store surveillance video.
A Walmart loss prevention officer saw the most recent incident on December 3 and confronted Reed while he was trying to leave the store with two hoverboards, two hover carts and a Christmas projection light. Investigators said Reed went with them to the loss prevention office.
Reed accompanied the Officer to the Loss Prevention Office, where the Officer used the store security system to review a history of Reed’s transactions. The Officer determined Reed committed similar thefts on eight prior occasions. The total loss to the store at this time is over $575.00.
Reed was booked into the Polk County Jail on December 3rd and released after posting bond in the amount of $4,500. Had he not resigned immediately upon his arrest, he would have been terminated.
The PCSO Organized Retail Crime Unit is conducting an investigation to determine if Reed has committed other crimes, and more charges are pending.
He was charged with 8 counts petit theft (M2), and one count each obtaining property by fraud (F3), gross fraud (F3), and petit theft $100-$750 (M1).
