Mayor shoplifted tweezers from Target — plus $280 in household products, TN cops say

The mayor of a Tennessee town resigned Tuesday, nearly a week after he was charged with shoplifting from Target.

The City of Fairview announced John Blade’s immediate resignation but did not release details about the arrest.

Blade is accused of stealing $281 worth of merchandise from a Target store in Spring Hill on Sept. 19, according to WKRN.

Among the items were “44 household goods, three tweezers and one skin care item,” The Tennessean reported.

He used the self-checkout twice that morning and only paid for some of the merchandise he had in his shopping cart, according to WSMV.

A shoplifting report was filed, and Blade turned himself in to the local sheriff’s office last week, The Tennessean reported.

“Obviously it is out of character for what we know of John,” Fairfiew City Manager Scott Collins told WKRN.

Fairview has a population of about about 9,400 residents and is roughly 30 miles southwest of Nashville. The vice mayor will become mayor for the duration of the term, the city said.

This story was originally published October 14, 2020 at 10:09 AM with the headline "Mayor shoplifted tweezers from Target — plus $280 in household products, TN cops say."