Dallas Police Officer Accused of Stealing from Apple Stores
A Dallas police officer is facing felony theft charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise while working as an overnight security guard at Apple stores across the city.
Senior Corporal Le Chau, a member of the Dallas Police Department since 2013, has been charged with property theft between $30,000 and $150,000, a third-degree felony. According to court records, Chau turned himself in at the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday and was released on bond the same day. He has since been placed on administrative leave as the department conducts an internal investigation.
Chau, who was most recently assigned to the Basic Academy, is accused of stealing merchandise from the stockrooms of three Apple store locations: NorthPark, Knox Street, and the Galleria. An arrest warrant affidavit states that the Federal Bureau of Investigation began looking into Chau’s activities in March and subsequently alerted the Dallas Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit.
Following the tip, DPD launched its own investigation into a pattern of inventory discrepancies at the stores where Chau was employed as a contracted overnight security officer. Surveillance footage from March 24 to March 25 at the Galleria location reportedly shows Chau concealing Apple products under his police jacket, then taking the items into the break room to hide them in a backpack and duffel bag.
The affidavit also notes that the three stores had reported an exceptionally high volume of inventory count variances over the past two years, placing them among the top ten Apple retail stores globally in terms of stock irregularities.
Chau was known to regularly bring personal bags to his shifts, further raising suspicions after store managers reviewed surveillance footage and internal records. The footage and subsequent investigation reportedly tied him directly to the thefts.
The case remains under investigation, and disciplinary action from the department is pending based on the outcome of both the criminal and internal reviews.
