Carnegie Mellon University police officer accused of switching tags to pay lower price at Walmart
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A Carnegie Mellon University police officer is facing theft charges after investigators say she was caught at an area Walmart switching tags on items to pay a lower price.
Ashley Dawn Polka is accused of doing something called tag or ticket switching and according to police, she's allegedly done this more than once.
According to Frazer police, Walmart loss prevention called them after they claimed to discover 32-year-old Ashley Polka switching price tags on items to pay a lower price. According to court records, Polka, who was also a Carnegie Mellon University police officer, took an item costing 99 cents and applied it to several items, including a package of mason jars.
Using parking lot video and register video inside the store, police say they were able to determine that Polka was involved in the same alleged activity between April of this year and Sept. 11 when she was arrested. Investigators say Polka stole 11 various items totaling out to about $190.
KDKA-TV contacted Carnegie Mellon University about Polka's present status on the university's police force. They declined an on-camera interview but released a statement, saying: "The University does not comment on personnel matters but can confirm that Ashley Polka has been on extended leave from the department."
Polka is free on bond. She faces one count of misdemeanor retail theft.
