Longtime Lexington Firefighter Arrested, Charged With Alleged Shoplifting

LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Lexington firefighter was arrested Wednesday in Fayette County and charged with shoplifting from a Walmart area, Lexington Fire officials reported.

Officials said Lexington firefighter Robert Perkins was arrested and charged with “theft by unlawful taking (shoplifting) under $500.” A filed citation states that on June 6, a Walmart employee reported to police that a theft had occurred at the store at 500 West New Circle Road.

The employee described to police what he observed on Walmart surveillance cameras on June 1, noting that he saw an individual, identified by police after investigation as Perkins, with a bag of pills against cough and a box of baseball cards on top when scanning the self-checkout. The citation stated that the employee only saw Perkins scanning the cough drops.

The employee, according to the citation, “confronted” Perkins as he was leaving the store and returned the baseball cards. In a search of Perkins' recent Walmart transactions, the Walmart employee discovered that a theft allegedly occurred in every transaction between April 28 and June 1. The thefts, according to the citation, resulted in a loss of $221.20 to Walmart.

Authorities also said Perkins was placed on paid administrative assignment after department procedures were implemented and pending the outcome of the criminal investigation. Authorities said an internal investigation would follow.

Perkins, according to officials, has been employed by the Lexington Fire Department since 2006.