Former Midwest City police officer charged in pawn scheme

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. (AP) – A former Midwest City police officer has been charged with pawning police department items.

The Oklahoman reports (http:// bit.ly/1mEl3rK ) that 45-year-old Lacky Harkins has been charged with 22 counts of making a false declaration of ownership to a pawnbroker, four counts of concealing stolen property and one count of embezzlement.

Harkins is accused of using his undercover Oklahoma driver’s license to pawn his two city-issued pistols and a shotgun multiple times, as well as pawning another officer’s pistol.

Prosecutors say these actions happened between November 2012 and October 2015. They allege he also pawned a digital camera and trailer owned by the city.

Police reported that Harkins admitted to taking about $1,500 from the special investigations unit.

An investigation into Harkins began after he pawned a guitar stolen from a church.

In 2015, Harkins shot and killed an alleged burglar in July and was been cleared of any wrongdoing. He returned to duty after being on administrative leave during the investigation of the shooting.

Harkins was off duty at the time of the shooting and was checking on the relatives’ home while they were on vacation.

He had been with the Midwest City Police Department for 21 years.