State trooper suspended after allegedly stealing from Millbury and Worcester Target stores

A Massachusetts State Police trooper was suspended without pay after being accused of stealing from Target stores more than 20 times. 

The trooper, Zachariah Kent, 30, joined the force in October 2022 and was suspended Oct. 1. He was a suspect in 23 shoplifting cases at various Targets, including 11 at one in Millbury, according to reporting by The Boston Globe. 

Kent engaged in what’s known as “skip scanning,” when a customer intentionally doesn’t scan certain items while checking out at a self-checkout, which was allegedly caught on security cameras. They showed him stealing in January, February, April, May, July, and September, from amounts as low as $24.99 on May 28 to as high as $218.45 on July 8, according to reporting by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

He was apprehended at the Millbury store, at 70 Providence Turnpike, part of The Shoppes at Blackstone Valley, on Sept 24. Millbury Police Sergeant Chris Polselli responded to the call, and shortly thereafter, Kent was suspended. 

“The Massachusetts State Police does not tolerate theft or dishonesty, and we hold our members accountable to the highest professional standards,” said a spokesperson for the State Police in a statement shared with Boston.com. “When these troubling allegations came to our attention, the Department immediately relieved the accused trooper of duty, opened an internal affairs investigation, and suspended him without pay following his duty status hearing.” 

According to the Globe, Kent allegedly stole $847 worth of merchandise from the Millbury store, and over $200 on golf balls at a Worcester Target on three separate occasions. 

Kent is slated for arraignment Feb. 13 in Worcester District Court for shoplifting and larceny counts, according to the Telegram & Gazette. He’s not currently in custody. Police said he had no previous disciplinary history. 

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