MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police often remind people to take their keys with them when they get out of their cars.
Memphian Kedra Smith said she’s heard their message.
“They are always giving you warnings and signs to take care of your cars, your kids and your loved ones,” she said.
But it seems one of their own needs to practice what they preach.
WREG attained surveillance video at a gas station on Airways shows a Memphis police officer’s private car parked at a pump. Investigators say the officer left the keys to his Toyota Camry on the floorboard of his car and went inside the attached convenience store around 10 p.m. Wednesday night.
“You shouldn’t leave keys, kids, money or loved ones. It’s irresponsible,” Smith said.
In the video, it only takes a few seconds for another car to pull up. The passenger of that car gets out, looks into the officer’s Camry, gets inside and drives off.
Officials say the thief got away with the car, a shirt, a hat and his entire duty belt, including a gun, handcuffs and pepper spray.
Smith said she’s disappointed.
“You should know better,” she said of the officer.
But others figured that since a cop is the victim, it could speed up the investigation.
“That’s not good for the guy who stole the car I guess,” another man said.
WREG spoke with the victim’s daughter Thursday but she said her father did not want to comment on what happened. She pleaded with whoever took the items to return it.
A spokesperson for the Memphis Police Department said they were aware of the incident and looking in to it.
They did not release the victim’s name.
