A five-year veteran of the New Haven police department who is accused of stealing several hundred dollars from a local restaurant has been arrested and placed on paid administrative leave, police said.
Officer Bobby Jones, 34, is accused of stealing as many as two envelopes filled with payroll cash from the office of an unidentified restaurant last week, according to police.
An attorney representing the restaurant called Police Chief Dean Esserman on Monday about the incident. On Tuesday, the attorney brought surveillance video to the police department, which supported the restaurant owner’s claim that Jones stole the money, according to police.
It shows Jones twice. First he was in uniform, then he was in civilian clothes when he was not on duty, police said.
Jones met with investigators the same day, accompanied by a union representative, and provided a statement regarding the allegation, police said.
Esserman assigned the case to the head of the internal affairs division and has ordered Jones to be placed on administrative paid leave.
Two investigations are underway.
One is criminal and was presented to the state’s attorney, who approved the warrant for Jones’ arrest.
“It is sad that we need to pursue a criminal complaint against one of our own. We owe it to this local business owner, our communities and Officer Jones himself to assure a thorough and accurate investigation is completed. We are working closely with the State’s Attorney’s Office to assure this case is handled with the professional scrutiny and integrity it so deserves,” Esserman said in a news release.
The other is administrative.
Jones, who graduated from the police academy in September 2009, was charged with sixth-degree larceny and third degree burglary for allegedly and the investigation is ongoing.
He was held on $10,000 but has been released after posting it.
Jones is due back in court on Aug. 19.
The court documents are sealed for two weeks.
