A Winter Haven police officer was arrested on Wednesday, accused of stealing a “marijuana bud” from evidence seized in a drug bust.
Police say that Ricardo Flores, 37, was just ending his shift when another officer saw him take a “marijuana bud” from evidence being unloaded from a truck in the Sally Port area.
According to police, Flores took the “marijuana bud”, concealed it and left the Police Department in his personal vehicle.
Detectives contacted Flores, asked him to return to the Department and recovered the “marijuana bud”.
Flores was detained, arrested and charged with burglary of a conveyance, petit theft and possession of marijuana. He was booked into the Polk County Jail.
Flores, a 4-year veteran of the department, has been suspended pending an internal investigation.
