Demoted NYPD Officer Stole Flooring In Commack, Police Say

COMMACK, NY — An NYPD officer was arrested on Monday after she was accused of theft in Commack, Suffolk police said. The officer's attorney said she paid for the flooring at another store and called the incident a misunderstanding.

Lina Ruiz, 40, of Westbury, was accused of stealing roughly $1,300 worth of flooring from Floor & Decor on Henry Street in Commack on April 13, police said. Ruiz was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny and issued a desk appearance ticket.

Ruiz had already been demoted from captain to lieutenant for hanging out in a bar while on duty, the NY Daily News reported. She was suspended from duty after her arrest in Commack, according to the outlet.

Ruiz's attorney, Peter Brill, told the Daily News that the theft was a misunderstanding and a "comedy of errors." Ruiz, who is building a home on Long Island, ordered 65 boxes of wood flooring from Floor & Decor but only received 55, Brill said.

An employee of the Garden City store Ruiz purchased from told her there were more boxes at the Commack store and said she would note on the computer that Ruiz had paid for the boxes and could take them. The employee failed to make the entry, leading to his client's arrest, Brill told the Daily News.