The shocking moment a police officer swiped a pair of women’s pants from her bedroom drawer has been caught on camera. Marcin Zielinski, 47, of Hertfordshire Police has been jailed for the theft during a Section 32 search in September 2024.

The police officer had been searching the home when he stole the underwear. Zielinski, from St Albans, admitted to one charge of theft and a charge of corrupt or improper exercise of police powers and privileges. Footage of the incident was captured on a Ring camera.

The former Hertfordshire police officer’s actions have been condemned by senior officers as a “fundamental betrayal of the public.”

Zielinski, resigned from the force while under investigation in November 2024 and was jailed for four months at Cambridge Crown Court on Monday.

A woman living at the address had been arrested in connection with an unrelated matter, but she was later released with no further action taken.

Hertfordshire Constabulary Assistant Chief Constable Genna Telfer said: “Zielinski has let down the public of Hertfordshire, the police service as a whole and his former colleagues, who act with professionalism and integrity.

“His criminal behaviour damages the reputation of policing and represents a fundamental betrayal of the public and the values for which the police service stands.”

Zielinski is now barred from working in policing.