Ernest Parker

Shelby County Sheriff's detectives have charged a Shelby County Fire Department Lieutenant for buying stolen electronics equipment.

Lieutenant Ernest Parker was arrested last night about 9 o’clock at the fire station where he’s assigned in Lakeland.

Deputies with the Sheriff’s ALERT Squad (Area Law Enforcement Retailers Team) say Parker’s name surfaced recently during their investigation about some thefts from area retail stores.

Last night, undercover officers received a tip that Parker wanted to buy some stolen property while on duty at the fire station.

ALERT Squad Deputies say Parker offered to pay $1400 for four flat screen televisions. He loaded one television into his car and then put the other three into vehicles belonging to his fellow firefighters. Deputies say the other firefighters did not know the televisions were stolen.

The firefighters told Deputies that Parker asked them to store the televisions in their vehicles until he could load them onto a truck at the end of the work shift.

Parker was charged with Theft of Property over $1,000. Sheriff’s Deputies say their investigation is continuing.