By Gavin Mackintosh-
A police officer from West Yorkshire, in the North of England was caught on CCTV staling clothing from police .
The officer will face a misconduct hearing next week accused of stealing motorcycling clothing from police and selling it on eBay.
PC David Hitchcocks really should be facing a criminal hearing, but as is typical of police, they have gone for the soft option of bringing him before a panel to face a misconduct hearing. PC Hitchcocks is accused of taking police property on two occasions and selling it without the consent or knowledge of West Yorkshire Police
The crooked cop worked in the Off-Road Motorbike Team based at Eccleshill when it’s alleged the incidents took place in 2018 and 2019.
His hearing will begin from September 1 to 3 charged with breaching the Standards of Professional Behaviour in relation to honesty and integrity, and discreditable conduct.
He had been due before the misconduct panel in April this year, but the hearing will now take place next month.
PC Hitchcocks was caught on CCTV entering the station on July 2, 2019, empty handed, and leaving a short time later with a large carrier bag.
A colleague noticed a pair of motorcycle boots issued to him by the force were missing from the locker room, and on July 13 a pair of boots matching the missing pair were found for sale on eBay.
The account selling the boots was identified as belonging to PC Hitchcocks and the boots were sold four days later to a member of the public for £170.
Police also found four other items of motorcycle clothing and another pair of boots belonging to police had been sold by the same account between January and October 2018.
It’s known PC Hitchcocks was involved in a crash while at work in June 2018 and the clothing and boots worn by him during the accident were held in police property, and he is known to have removed the items from the store in September that year.
On September 16, October 7 and October 21, PC Hitchcocks is alleged to have sold items matching the description of the items taken on eBay.
Under normal circumstances, a member of the public caught stealing would be either cautioned or brought before a court, but PC Hitchcock has been granted the special privilege of what is expected to amount to just a slap on the wrist.
West Yorkshire Police were contacted for comment, but did not respond.