DEER PARK, Texas A Deer Park police officer accused of stealing fellow officers food from an office refrigerator appeared in court for a pre-trial hearing Thursday afternoon.
Officer Kevin Yang is charged with misdemeanor theft.
According to investigators, food was disappearing from a fridge at the police department, so Yang s boss, Police Chief Gregg Grigg, set up cameras in the break room.
Surveillance video appeared to show Yang rummaging through the fridge, removing items.
His fellow officers contend that those items were marked and belonged to someone else. Specifically, they said Yang took a can of Monster energy drink that was labeled MSA on November 19, 2011. Then, three days later, they claim he took a bagged sandwich marked with the initials OUT.
Yang s attorney, Gregory Cagle, disagrees.
We re talking about one can of energy drink. We re not talking about everything that s been missing. I think he s getting blamed for stuff before he was employed with the city, Cagle said.
Officer Yang, who was suspended for 30 days without pay because of the incident, has been with the Deer Park Police Department for about four years.
Cagle said his client does not deserve all the attention he s gotten because of the case.
The spotlight is on him. The media is at his house, people are chasing him around the neighborhood. I saw yesterday a community activist talking about the case, Cagle said.
Once Yang serves his suspension, he will return to patrolling the streets something that doesn t sit well with some.
But Cagle said when Yang goes back to work, he will give it his all.
Yang s next court appearance is set for May 29, 2012.
