Fake officer admits guilt in mall theft

FAYETTEVILLE — A Fayetteville man who, police said, impersonated a police officer and a power company employee to burglarize his former employer pleaded guilty Monday in Washington County Circuit Court.

Cody Wilson, 26, was charged with commercial burglary and theft of property. A criminal impersonation charge, a misdemeanor, was dropped as part of a plea bargain.

Wilson was sentenced to five years of probation, fined $500 and ordered to pay various court costs and fees.

Wilson paid $998 restitution Monday, in addition to $833 returned to the store shortly after the theft.

He was ordered to continue with his mental health treatment and counseling as recommended by his physicians or counselors, according to Sara Swearengin, the deputy prosecutor.

Police said Wilson, a former employee of the Buckle store in the Northwest Arkansas Mall, went to the rear entrance of the store March 13, told workers he was with the electric company and needed access to the electrical panel. After a while, Wilson told an employee he was finished and would leave through the back door.

The next day police received a call from the assistant store manager, who said someone called, said he was a detective and wanted a statement emailed to him about a possible theft at the business. The manager checked the safe and found $1,822 missing, but when she tried to use the email address and phone number the caller gave, both were invalid.

Wilson told police he posed as the electrical worker and instead of leaving, he hid in the ceiling above the store’s bathroom. Wilson said he knew the code to the safe in the office, and he took the money, according to police.

Wilson said he wanted to know whether the theft had been discovered, so he called the store posing as a police officer.