LAPD Officer Arrested On Suspicion Of Theft During Investigation Of Illegal Pot Grow Facility

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — A Los Angeles police officer was arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of theft.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, narcotics officers were conducting enforcement of an illegal cannabis grow facility Monday morning.

During the operation, a person who worked at the facility notified an LAPD supervisor that money was missing from her personal backpack.

The supervisor secured the scene and began looking into the missing money. After reviewing closed-circuit camera recordings, investigators believed Officer Louis Mota had taken the money from the backpack.

Mota was arrested and his badge, gun and department badge were taken.

"No employee of this Department is above the law, and we will not tolerate any individual who betrays the public's trust through this type of behavior," Chief Michel Moore said in a statement.

Mota was booked for misdemeanor theft and released on his own recognizance. He was assigned to home duty pending the outcome of the administrative and criminal investigations.