St. Paul Officer Pleads Guilty to Burglary Charges

A St. Paul police officer has admitted to three counts of third-degree burglary following a retail theft investigation.

Updated on Oct. 19, 2026 in Property Crime

St. Paul Officer Pleads Guilty to Burglary Charges

St. Paul Police Department officer Tommy Adams has pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree burglary after being charged with 14 felony counts. The charges follow an investigation into thefts at a Bloomington Cub Foods store.

Why it matters

The conviction follows an investigation into a law enforcement officer who exploited his knowledge of security systems to commit crimes. Adams has been placed on administrative leave by the St. Paul Police Department.

Adams pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree burglary, a significant reduction from the 14 felony counts initially filed. The officer currently remains on administrative leave with the St. Paul Police Department.

The players

Tommy Adams

He is a St. Paul police officer who previously worked at Cub Foods for 15 years before joining the department.

St. Paul Police Department

This local municipal law enforcement agency employs the officer and has placed him on administrative leave.

The details

Security footage captured Adams, who worked at the store for 15 years before joining the police force, using a master key to enter the loss prevention office. Once inside, he sat at the security desk to reposition cameras to conceal his actions while taking items during 13 separate visits.

Adams ended his 15-year tenure at the Bloomington Cub Foods in 2017.
The officer entered his guilty plea for the burglary charges on October 19, 2026.

Legal Context

This case follows a pattern established by the 2021 investigation into officer-involved retail theft in suburban Minneapolis regarding the abuse of law enforcement authority. Such incidents often trigger broader internal reviews of police conduct and background screening protocols.

The investigation highlights security vulnerabilities within local retail environments where loss prevention offices are targeted. Residents in the area may see increased scrutiny of store security protocols following the use of master keys in these incidents.

The takeaway

This case serves as a reminder that background checks and internal oversight remain critical for all employees with access to sensitive security infrastructure. Maintaining strict control over master keys is essential to preventing internal theft in retail settings.