Sara Lamkin, a 17-year veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), was arrested on February 1 for theft after an alleged shoplifting incident at a Target store on Southport Road.
According to court documents, Lamkin, who was off-duty at the time, entered the store and began concealing items in a storage container and around her cart. Loss prevention workers and a Target employee noticed Lamkin’s suspicious behavior and began monitoring her. After visiting the fitting room and returning selected items, Lamkin allegedly “skip scanned” 10 items at self-checkout and engaged in “ticket switching” with two other items, totaling $185.44 in stolen merchandise.
When officers arrived, Lamkin reportedly offered to pay for the items to avoid involving the police, stating that she could lose her job due to the incident. Following an investigation, Lamkin was charged with misdemeanor theft on February 6.
Lamkin, who was most recently assigned to the IMPD Professional Standards Bureau, is currently on paid leave as the department conducts an internal investigation. Her initial court hearing is scheduled for March 6 at 9 a.m.
