Deputy arrested, accused of stealing from Home Depot badly damaged by tornado

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    DALLAS (KTVT) — A Dallas County deputy has been arrested and is accused of stealing from a Home Depot that he was guarding after it was severely damaged during last month’s tornado outbreak in North Texas, authorities said Thursday.

The Dallas County Sheriff’s Department said Joseph Bobadilla is suspected of theft from the Home Depot on Forest Lane while he worked off-duty there as a guard. He was charged with theft of property worth $750 to $2,500, which will be enhanced due to being a public servant.

He was booked into the Dallas County Jail at around noon Thursday. A mugshot and bond amount are currently unavailable.

According to authorities, Bobadilla allegedly took products from the store, exchanged them at a different Home Depot for store credit and then bought other items, such as appliances, with that credit.

The Forest Lane store suffered significant damage after a tornado ravaged through the area on Oct. 20. Nine other tornados were confirmed in North Texas from those evening’s severe storms.

Authorities executed a search warrant on Bobadilla’s house in Garland Thursday afternoon, where they removed a new laundry machine from inside.

Dallas County Sheriff Marian Brown released a statement that read:

“The Dallas Sheriff’s Office does not condone or support employees that break the law. Our core values are integrity, professionalism and accountability and as a result, we will follow the proper procedures and guidelines in place to uphold the law and ensure the deputy is held responsible for his actions.”

Authorities are continuing to investigate the case.

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