Add another headache to NYPD spin doctor Paul Browne's plate. Yesterday a 39-year-old police officer was arrested for stealing iPads from a perp he was arresting. Anthony Rivera of the 123rd Precinct now faces charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property and official misconduct.
According to the Staten Island District Attorney's complaint Rivera, a five year veteran of the force, "gained access to the vehicle of an arrested person and stole two iPad tablets" while the car was parked outside the Staten Island Target. The alleged theft occurred sometime between April 26 and April 29. Further, according to a source at the Advance, the suspect had stolen several iPads from Target and Rivera—instead of turning them all in—kept two for himself. When the store went to make an insurance claim they noticed the discrepancy and called in the police.
When Internal Affairs searched Rivera's home they found the two iPads and confirmed through serial numbers they were the stolen tablets. He would have been better off selling them on eBay.
