Theft on duty - Police officer steals cheese in accident and loses his job
A police officer stole approximately 180 kilograms (396.8 pounds) of Cheddar cheese from an overturned Lkw (truck) and consequently lost his job. The Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate has now dismissed the man's appeal and upheld the decision.
Stolen cheese worth €554
The officer had worked at the Autobahnpolizei (highway police) and was supposed to secure an accident scene, it was stated. While doing so, he drove a police bus near the damaged Lkw container and asked the worker of a recovery company to hand him several cheese packages. In total, he stole nine cheese packages, each weighing 20 kilograms, worth €554.
"The defendant brought some of the packages to the station," the statement read. It was assumed that he had kept some for himself and his friends and family. In the appeal hearing, the officer stated that the cheese was practically worthless and he had wanted to save it from destruction. He himself did not eat Cheddar cheese.
"The police of the state were significantly harmed"
The court saw it differently: The man had committed a theft while on duty, in uniform, and with his service weapon. "The defendant significantly harmed the reputation of the Rhineland-Palatinate police with this behavior," the court shared. It did not matter that the cheese had only a low value at the time. In fact, it was the duty of the officer to prevent the theft.
The officer had previously been warned in a minor criminal case. The court reserved the right to impose a fine of more than 90 days' wages of €25 each. After the end of the criminal proceedings, the state initiated a disciplinary proceeding. The Administrative Court of Trier decided that the officer should be dismissed from service. Against this, he filed an appeal - unsuccessfully.
- The incident occurred on a highway patrol assignment in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
- The theft of the Cheddar cheese took place near Koblenz, a city known for its historical sites and food & drink scenes.
- The case of the stolen cheese became a curiosity, attracting attention in crime and food circles across Germany.
- Despite the officer's argument that the cheese was practically worthless, the incident led to significant consequences in his professional life.
- After the appeal for reinstatement was denied by the Rhineland-Palatinate court, the officer was left with a mark on his record and a reminder of the price of criminal activities in his line of work.
