LAPD Officer Arrested on Theft, Burglary Charges

A Los Angeles Police Department officer was arrested Tuesday after officers recognized him as the person seen using a stolen debit card at a home improvement store. Edmond Babaians was booked on a felony warrant by the internal affairs unit, the Los Angeles Times reports. The 42-year-old works in the Custody Services Department, which operates jails in the city. An investigation was opened after a woman told police that her debit card was missing after a visit to a department facility and there had been unauthorized transactions on her account. She gave investigators security system photos of somebody using the stolen card.

Babaians, a 16-year veteran of the force, was released on his own recognizance after his arrest on theft and burglary charges. The LAPD says he was relieved of his police powers and was "assigned home," KTLA reports. "The allegations of an officer breaking public trust are extremely troubling and there must be accountability," LAPD Chief Michel Moore said in a statement, per ABC7. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also issued a statement. She thanked the LAPD for taking swift action and said, "The integrity of our police department is of the utmost importance and we must continue to act with transparency and accountability to build trust with all Angelenos." (More LAPD stories.)