Rhode Island police chief busted for stealing money from a stripper

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) -- For a Rhode Island police chief, the question of what happened after a high-speed chase during Tropical Storm Irene and how he portrayed it has put his livelihood and freedom on the line.

The police chief in North Providence, Col. John J. Whiting, is accused of stealing hundreds of dollars from the pocketbook of a stripper whose SUV crashed after a high-speed chase last August. Authorities say he changed his story about what happened to the money after police say he confessed to a fellow officer that he stole it.

Whiting's case returns to court Monday. He has pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal solicitation to obstruct justice and larceny over $500.

Whiting did not return calls. His lawyer declined to comment.

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