Tennessee mayor resigns after arrested for shoplifting

The store loss prevention officer “observed Mr. Blade taking multiple items and only scanning one of the items and placing these items into his shopping cart before exiting the Target store.”

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Accused of stealing nearly $300 worth of items from a Target store, a Tennessee mayor recently submitted his resignation from office. According to Target’s loss prevention department, the mayor was caught stealing at least twice on the same day.

Around 9 a.m. on September 19, Fairview Mayor John Blade, who is also President of the First Bank of Fairview, was shopping at a Target in Spring Hill when he used a self-checkout scanner and allegedly did not scan several items. Blade reportedly used his personal Target Credit Card to purchase only a few of the items while stealing at least 44 products from the store.

According to the police report, the mayor returned an hour later and committed the same crime. The store loss prevention officer “observed Mr. Blade taking multiple items and only scanning one of the items and placing these items into his shopping cart before exiting the Target store.”

Blade allegedly stole more than $281 worth of products, including household goods and skincare items. Last week, Blade turned himself in to the Maury County jail and was released on his own recognizance.

On Tuesday, he submitted his resignation from the office of Mayor of Fairview. Under the charter, Vice Mayor Debby Rainey will serve as mayor until the 2022 election.

Blade’s resignation is effective immediately.

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