Police officer stole department’s ammo, sold it to shooting range, SC investigators say

A now-former Upstate police officer has been arrested, accused of stealing ammunition from his department’s armory and selling it for a profit.

Theodore Robert Martin, 33, is charged with misconduct in office, and breach of trust with fraudulent intent, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division announced Wednesday.

SLED officers took Martin into custody Tuesday afternoon and he is being held at the Cherokee County Detention Center.

Investigators say that while he was an officer with the Gaffney Police Department, Martin took ammo from the armory and sold it to C&C Indoor Range, a shooting range in Spartanburg, in late February.

The case will be prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office, according to SLED.

Martin was fired from the Gaffney Police Department in March, WSPA reported, and while Chief Chris Skinner didn’t offer a specific explanation at the time, he said he requested SLED to investigate a matter involving Martin.

Earlier this month, a North Carolina police chief was charged with 88 felony counts, in part for stealing guns out of evidence and selling them, McClatchy News reported. Authorities said “a large number” of those firearms are still unaccounted for.

This story was originally published May 26, 2021 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Police officer stole department’s ammo, sold it to shooting range, SC investigators say."