GGC criminal justice professor busted for felony shoplifting
Dr. Bruce Carroll has taught criminal justice for seven years at Georgia Gwinnett College. During Thanksgiving week he was arrested for felony shoplifting. (GGC photo)
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - An unlikely shoplifting suspect faces multiple counts.
Gwinnett County Police booked Dr. Bruce Carroll on shoplifting charges on November 22. He is a longtime professor of criminal justice at Georgia Gwinnett College.
That day also happened to be the last day of final exams at GGC.
"It was definitely a surprise that he was a college professor and he taught criminology," said Gwinnett County police spokesperson Hideshi Valle.
According to Gwinnett County police, Carroll stole from a Target store on Lawrenceville-Suwanee Road.
Authorities say he used the self-service checkout scanner, paying for a few items but walking away with others he never scanned.
One of the many items Carroll is accused of stealing from Target are "two packs of wine glasses for a total loss of $80."
And it wasn’t an isolated mistake. The loss prevention officer told police they eventually went back through their videos and found Carroll left with a variety of items he never scanned during eight visits to their store between September 23 and November 3.
Here’s the list:
- Bed comforter
- Tanktop
- Bedsheet
- Bed skirt
- Golf Glove
- Golf hat
- Washcloths
- Towels
- Grill brush
- Champaign flute
- Probiotics
- Picture frame
- Coasters
- Socks
- Chocolate
- Dog food
- Food strainer
- Universal thread boots
- Wine glasses
Total amount: $629.02, enough to charge Carroll with felony shoplifting. He was released on a $3,500 bond the same day.
Because the total amount he's accused of stealing is over $500, police charged Carroll with felony shoplifting.
Carroll did not respond to multiple attempts for comment. His office was closed this week as is much of the campus. Students don’t return until January.
A GGC spokesperson said the school does not comment on "personnel matters."
Carroll started at GGC in 2014. He has taught a variety of courses including Criminal Justice and Administration of Justice.
His online bio says he’s a former attorney and Fullbright scholar.
And — at least of the moment — chairman of the faculty for Georgia Gwinnett’s Criminal Justice Department.
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