POLK COUNTY, Fla. — A Polk County deputy has resigned after being arrested for stealing cash during a traffic stop.
Justin Register, 28, was charged with petit theft after two fellow deputies reported the incident.
Deputies said the theft occurred when Register allegedly took money from a driver’s wallet.
“I am disgusted by Justin Register’s dishonest behavior,” said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “We are going to hold him accountable for his disgraceful actions, and he should never be trusted to work in law enforcement again.”
The incident unfolded when Deputies Joseph Leon and Vito Mineo arrived to assist Register during a traffic stop.
Deputy Leon observed Register placing the driver’s wallet and phone in the trunk of his patrol car.
Later, the driver’s daughter arrived at the scene, and the driver requested that she take custody of his belongings.
Deputy Leon said he witnessed Register removing $82 from the wallet and handing it to the woman.
The driver claimed that $300 was missing from his wallet, prompting Deputies Leon and Mineo to search for the missing money.
They found a paystub indicating the driver had recently cashed a $400 check.
Deputy Leon said he saw Register return to the patrol car’s trunk, where he retrieved folded cash from a rifle bag and claimed to have found the missing money.
The deputies reported the incident to their Lieutenant, initiating an investigation into Register’s conduct.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office said it is auditing all of Register’s past arrests and traffic stops.
The investigation remains ongoing, and anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Polk County Sheriff’s Office if they have more information.
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