Motorcyclist Says Officer Stole Wallet With $1,400 : Law enforcement: The Torrance man’s allegation is being investigated. He claims the theft occurred while he was being questioned on the street.

An unemployed construction worker has filed complaints with the Torrance Police Department and the city, alleging that a police officer stole $1,400 from him when he was arrested on suspicion of public drunkenness on April Fool’s Day.

Frank S. Boyer, 25, of Torrance, filed the complaints last week after police released him from custody. No charges were filed. Boyer said he had the money with him that day because he had just cashed state and federal income tax refund checks.

Torrance Police Chief Joseph C. De Ladurantey said the matter is under investigation.

“We accepted the complaint and are investigating it,” De Ladurantey said. “This could take some time to adjudicate. Just as he is presumed innocent, so are our officers.”

According to Boyer, the incident began when his motorcycle stalled at a Torrance intersection around 11 p.m. and he decided to walk along Crenshaw Boulevard to a friend’s house, where the two had been drinking.

A patrol car pulled up to the curb and an officer asked Boyer if he was all right, he said. When Boyer said he was fine, he said he was instructed to sit down. The officer then asked for identification, Boyer said.

“I told him my wallet was in my jacket,” Boyer said. “He removed my wallet with $1,400 cash in it.”

Another officer arrived, and one of them returned Boyer’s driver’s license.

“I quickly noticed that my wallet” was missing, Boyer said. “I asked him where it was. He told me I didn’t have one, that I only had a driver’s license.”

According to Boyer, he was arrested after he persisted in telling the officers that his wallet was missing.

The police report of the incident stated that four officers responded to a call that a motorcycle had been involved in an accident in the 16500 block of Crenshaw Boulevard.

According to the report, Boyer was seen walking away from a motorcycle and was stopped for questioning. The report said he told the officers he was not injured. However, the report said that Boyer smelled of alcohol and was staggering, and that his speech was thick and incoherent.

“Due to Boyer being unable to care for his safety and the safety of others, he was placed under arrest,” according to the report, signed by two arresting officers.

Police officials did not say why Boyer was released without charges being pursued.

Boyer said he had planned to buy a car with the money, and had kept the wallet tucked into a zippered jacket pocket to make sure he would not lose it.