WORCESTER, Mass. — A Massachusetts State Police trooper has been suspended amid shoplifting allegations.
State Police confirmed to Boston 25 that they suspended Trooper Zacharia Kent on October 1.
“The Massachusetts State Police does not tolerate theft or dishonesty, and we hold our members accountable to the highest professional standards,” state police said in a statement.
According to court documents, Kent was caught stealing from Target stores in Worcester and Millbury. They say he hit the stores at least 23 times from January till September.
Kent allegedly used the self-checkout line to steal some items while paying for others. He was caught after a review of security video.
Documents show that Kent stole amounts ranging from about $25 to more than $200 with the total being more than $1,000.
“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,” they added.
Kent graduated from the State Police Academy in October 2022 and has no other previous disciplinary history.
He is set to appear in court in Feburary.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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