Nassau Cop Gets Community Service for Stealing Baby Food

The Nassau County Police officer from a West Hempstead supermarket was sentenced Thursday to 14 hours of community service.

A judge dismissed the charges -- petit larceny and possession of burglary tools -- against Officer Thomas Welsh on the condition he stayed out of trouble until the year's end, reported Newsday.

The Nassau County Internal Affairs Unit had arrested Welsh, 43, on the morning of April 24 at police headquarters in Mineola. According to investigators, Welsh allegedly entered the located at 520 Cherry Valley Lane in West Hempstead and secreted numerous pouches of baby food on his person using plastic bags and a bungee cord. The value of the merchandise was approximately $40.

He was charged with petit larceny and possession of burglary tools, and released on an appearance ticket.

A police spokesman told The Associated Press in April that Welsh, a 25-year veteran of the force assigned to the Records Bureau, has been suspended without pay for 30 days.

According to Newsday [paid link]:

Welsh, on the job since 1986, earned $147,607.43 in 2010, including base salary and overtime, according to county payroll records. He is assigned to the police department's records bureau, which helps handle gun-permit requests, processes prisoners and tests suspected drunken drivers.

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