A former DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy is facing felony charges after investigators say he stole hundreds of dollars’ worth of items from a grocery store that was paying him to keep its employees and customers safe.
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On Feb. 6, Atlanta police arrested and charged Morris Bailey with one felony count of violating his oath of public office and another felony count of shoplifting. This is after an investigation revealed that Bailey created a scheme involving several unidentified Publix employees to steal more than $800 in groceries from the store on Glenwood Avenue in Atlanta’s East Lake neighborhood, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police reported that the crimes took place on four separate occasions in 2024.
Although investigators haven’t identified the items stolen from the store, court documents revealed how the scheme worked.
Investigators alleged that Bailey would take his items to self-checkout, where he would meet a Publix employee who would scan his items and then give him a void receipt. From there, investigators say he would pretend to pay by tapping his phone, but the transaction never went through.
“He was so nice. I would’ve never thought that,” Courtney Benford, a customer, told Channel 2′s Michael Seiden.
Court records stated that Publix launched its own investigation and reviewed surveillance video of the incidents.
Police also reported that employees, as well as Bailey, admitted to stealing from the store.
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Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Publix for comment, but the company has not responded. Channel 2 Action News also reached out to Bailey, but it’s unclear if he’s retained counsel.
Bailey started his law enforcement career in 2022 as a jailer in DeKalb County. The following year, he was promoted to deputy until his termination last month.
As of Thursday, Bailey’s POST certification remained suspended, according to state records.
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