Massachusetts State Police trooper accused of "skip-scanning" thefts at Target stores
MILLBURY - A Massachusetts State Police Trooper has been suspended without pay and is facing criminal charges after allegedly shoplifting from Target stores over an extended period of time.
Police say the trooper was using a method of shoplifting called "skip-scanning" at self-checkout registers.
Massachusetts State Police trooper arrested
Police say Zachariah Kent, 30, is a repeat offender accused of shoplifting 23 times at Target stores in Millbury and Worcester.
Investigators say he was caught on camera stealing more than $1,000 worth of merchandise from the stores.
Police said it was part of a scheme called "skip-scanning" where a person uses the self-checkout option to pay for some items but skips paying for others.
Massachusetts State Police addressed the allegations in a statement on Monday.
"The Massachusetts State Police does not tolerate theft or dishonesty, and we hold our members accountable to the highest professional standards," the department said. "When these troubling allegations came to our attention, the Department immediately relieved the accused trooper of duty, opened an internal affairs investigation, and suspended him without pay following his duty status hearing. We remain fully committed to cooperating with investigators as we await the result of the criminal process."
Zachariah Kent suspended
Trooper Kent graduated from the State Police Academy in October 2022 and has no other previous disciplinary history, according to Massachusetts State Police.
He has been suspended without pay.
Kent was issued a court summons and is scheduled to appear in court in February 2025.