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Former Melrose Police Officer Charged With Stealing Truck During Test Drive

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBS) – Police have arrested a man they say posed as a state trooper in order to trick a New Hampshire dealership into taking a test drive in a truck that he never returned.

On Monday witnesses said a man wearing a Massachusetts State Police windbreaker told a salesman at Team Nissan in Manchester that he was a police officer.

He provided no license or identification, and flashed a badge to the employee as he took the truck for a test drive.

Stolen truck
A man posing as a police officer (L) allegedly stole a pickup truck from a NH dealership (WBZ-TV)

Manchester Police eventually identified the suspect as former Melrose police officer Derek Guthro.

Nashua Police found the stolen truck in a Margarita's parking lot, not far from Guthro's home.

A short time later, Guthro was arrested and brought back to Manchester to face charges.

Guthro is charged with theft by unauthorized taking and false impersonation.

He was held on $5,000 personal recognizance bail and is next scheduled to appear in court on January 20.

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