Dallas police officer turns self in after investigation reveals over $37,000 stolen from Apple stores, department says
A Dallas police officer turned himself in to authorities late last week for a theft warrant, the Dallas Police Department confirmed.
It's a high-tech theft investigation involving a lot of money. A veteran DPD officer who worked an off-duty security job at area Apple stores is accused of stealing from them.
DPD said Senior Corporal Le Chau was wanted for a charge of theft $30,000 - $150,000, a third-degree felony. He was taken into custody after turning himself in to the Dallas County Sheriff's Office on Thursday, July 10.
An arrest warrant reveals the investigation started in early March when Apple Inc. discovered "...a series of missing products from the stockrooms of Apple NorthPark, Apple Knox Street, and Apple Galleria."
The company's global security division found that those stores were experiencing so many thefts that each was on Apple's top 10 list of retail stores in terms of the number of inventory count variances.
Chau worked as an overnight security officer, and according to a police affidavit, "...frequently spent time in the stockroom aisles and closely monitored Closed Circuit Television cameras."
A police report states that cameras documented Chau bringing backpacks and duffle bags into the stores during his shifts.
Apple installed covert cameras, and the affidavit states that "Chau was observed concealing approximately 25 pieces of merchandise on one occasion."
The company "...determined the total approximate value of the merchandise stolen was $17,271.00" from the Dallas Galleria store.
Police said the officer "...concealed Apple products underneath his Dallas Police Raid jacket under his left and right arms. He also concealed items inside his shirt. He exited the store with a large grey duffle bag and black backpack."
Inside the Apple Store on Knox Street, surveillance cameras "...captured Suspect Chau concealing approximately 32 pieces of merchandise" valued at $14,280.00.
In one instance, the police report states, "He climbed to the top shelf then used [a] trash picker to access items he could not reach ... Surveillance also captured suspect Chau grab a full box of AirPod Pros on the top shelf."
"In this case, it turns out the company brought in its cameras that he didn't know about," said Dr. Timothy Bray, a University of Texas at Dallas criminologist. "That's how they tripped him up."
Bray said those in charge of security often think they are the last to be suspected.
"One of the big formulas for committing a crime is where there is an opportunity, there was an absence of a capable guardian, in fact, this was the capable guardian they were looking to, and there's a motivated offender," Bray said.
Agents with the FBI Dallas office detained and questioned Chau at DFW Airport in April, along with his wife, who authorities say was selling Apple products on Facebook Marketplace.
The investigation revealed that Chau concealed and took property totaling $37,806.00 without consent.
Chau has been with DPD since May 2013 and is assigned to the Basic Academy, officials said in a news release. He has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation, DPD said.
His attorney declined to comment, and Chau has since been released on bond.
