Palm Beach Deputy Caught On Camera Stealing Prescription Medication From Man's Home

A Palm Beach County deputy was caught stealing a prescription medication from a home in Boynton Beach, Florida, in a video released Tuesday by the family of the man residing there.

The footage was captured Sept.12 on surveillance cameras installed in the 85-year-old man's home after he was taken to the hospital in an emergency situation when he slipped off and hit his head during a power outage caused by Hurricane Irma, reports said.

According to ABC affiliate WPBF, Deputy Jason Cooke was arrested Thursday night on charges of burglary and grand theft with a firearm. He had since been produced in court and was held in lieu of a bond of $28,000.

ABC affiliate WPLG reported that the victim Moe Rosoff lived alone. Three deputies responded to a call from his son to conduct a welfare check on him only to find Rosoff lying on the floor of his master bedroom. He was taken to Delray Medical Center where he died later that day.

According to Rosoff’s children, Crooke, who was not on the original call, broke into the home after receiving the entry code for the garage door over the police radio. The family also alleged the deputy stole jewelry and money from the Rosoff's bedroom.

The arrest report said Cooke admitted to taking pills of the pain reliever Tramadol from the counter. Authorities said they recovered other medications from his patrol car, CBS 12 said.

The incident was reported to the Palm Beach Sheriff's Office by the family Sept. 20 after viewing the surveillance video, however, the family said Cooke wasn't arrested until five weeks later so that the deputy could enter a 30-day drug rehabilitation program.

A statement released by the family said:

"The video was reported to PBPD on 9/20/17, eight days after the incident occurred. PBPD, however, did not make an arrest until 10/19/17, almost five weeks after the crime. They made an exception to allow his arrest to be held in abeyance so that he could enter a 30-day drug rehabilitation program. We were told Cooke denied the crime at first, however, he admitted to the crime after he was shown the video," Rosoff's family said.

WPBF said the sheriff’s office did not specifically commented on Crooke’s status as an employee but released a statement that read in part: “Unfortunately sometimes an employee makes a bad decision which leads to misconduct. This misconduct was reported, investigated and subsequently determined to be criminal in nature, resulting in the charges.”

The family’s statement further read:

“If Officer Cooke was operating in his official capacity under these medications, it is our belief that he may have posed a significant threat to the public's safety since just a few of the noted side effects of these medications include confusion, impaired thinking, impaired reactions, abnormal behavior, tremors, drowsiness, altered state of consciousness and anger. In our opinion, had we not had this video, this cop would still be out there posing a threat of danger to the community he swore to protect and committing more crimes. It is our hope that the justice system treats this cop like any other criminal out there and that he doesn't receive further preferential treatment because he is a police officer."

Crooke is currently placed on paid administrative leave.