Littleton police commander charged with stealing $1,916 from Highlands Ranch Target

Hal Mark Mandler, a commander with the Littleton Police Department, was arrested in Douglas County for allegedly stealing nearly $2,000 in merchandise from a Highlands Ranch Target.

Mandler, 46, turned himself in to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office on Thursday. He faces one count of misdemeanor theft in the range of $1,000 to $2,000. Court records show he was released from jail on Friday on a personal recognizance bond, a release condition that requires him to appear for future court dates without paying cash.

Sheriff's officials began their investigation in late October after a Target loss-prevention supervisor reported the theft. Store video footage captured Mandler "skip scanning" items on 13 separate occasions between late September and late October. This practice involves taking merchandise without ringing it up at the self-checkout lane. Individual stolen items ranged in price from $4.99 to $999, totaling $1,916.52 in lost merchandise according to staff reports.

The Littleton Police Department placed Mandler on administrative leave immediately after his arrest. The department has launched an internal investigation and is coordinating its efforts with the ongoing Douglas County case, according to a news release. Harvey Steinberg, Mandler's attorney with the Denver firm Springer & Steinberg, declined to comment on the details of the case.

Mandler is scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 21.