CMPD Officer Arrested for Shoplifting

CHARLOTTE, NC.– Charlotte-Mecklenburg police arrest one of their own. The officer is on unpaid administrative leave, accused of shoplifting. Chief Kerr Putney was visibly upset when he announced the arrest of Officer Sam Yaravitz. Putney says the arrest is overshadowing Police Week, in which officers killed in the line of duty are remembered for their sacrifices.

“We have one suspect who besmirched our badge. We’ll hold him accountable, we’ll move forward and we expect the community to realize that not all people are perfect,” says Chief Putney.

Officer Yaravitz works in the Providence Division. He’s been with CMPD since 1999. The veteran officer is charged with seven counts of larceny.

The Chief says Yaravitz was shoplifting, mainly food, from the SouthPark Harris Teeter between February and May of this year. Corey Bennett shops at the same store.

“The fact that a police officer would do something like this and commit that kind of crime, it’s not acceptable at all,” says Bennett.

Chief Putney says a CMPD employee found out about the shoplifting and let him know. The Chief did not say if Yaravitz was on duty during any of the shoplifting incidents.

“We do know that there was a marked unit that he was driving at some of those times,” says Putney.

Officer Yaravitz could face additional charges. The Chief was outraged that one of his full-time employees was shoplifting. According to the city database, Yaravitz is paid just over $71,000 a year.