ROCKLEDGE, Fla. — Rockledge Battalion Fire Chief Jeffrey Hughey was arrested Friday after allegedly stealing jewelry from a city vehicle during a training exercise.
Mynews13.com reported that Hughey, 54, surrendured to authorities after months of investigation.
“We do not tolerate any criminal activity regardless of who breaks the law,” Rockledge Police Chief Joseph LaSala said. “When these allegations were brought to our attention, we acted quickly, and the FDLE investigation resulted in this arrest. The Rockledge Police and Fire Departments work hard to establish trust in the community, and we will not allow anyone to compromise that.”
The investigation began in December 2015 after officials received information about the theft. Investigators believe that Hughey sold the jewelry several months after he stole it.
According to Florida Today, Hughey’s attorney, Kepler Funk, said that, “The lawyers in my office have been discussing Jeff’s situation for weeks with agents at FDLE and the Office of the State Attorney. We’re confident that we’ll all get to the truth and sort it out. Jeff has served the people of Brevard with honor and we look forward to helping him through this trying time.”