CHARLOTTE — Police say a local man claimed to be an officer with the Department of Homeland Security after he was confronted by store employees while trying to steal from the Charlotte Premium Outlets.
James Beyan isn’t a Homeland Security officer, but court documents obtained by Channel 9 say he flashed a fake badge to avoid scrutiny for shoplifting.
Channel 9’s Hunter Sáenz learned it’s not the first time he’s been in trouble with the law.
Beyan is back in jail after he failed to show up to court for charges of impersonating a law enforcement officer. It happened over three separate incidents at the Outlets in Steele Creek.
The first time happened in January, when officers say Beyan put on a pair of $180 sunglasses at the Sunglass Hut and then tried walking out. When an employee stopped him, court records say he pulled out a “round medallion in his wallet” and told the worker he was “Homeland Security and he needed the glasses for work.”
“He’s basically saying he can do whatever he wants with that badge in his hand,” said Joshua Glover, who was doing some shopping on Monday.
Police said in March, Beyan returned and went to the Banana Republic. He got a men’s dress coat, pants, shirt, and socks, all valued at about $425, and he removed the price tags before walking out wearing them. Poice said when he was stopped, he once again flashed a badge-like object and said he was with Homeland Security.
Officers say he did the same thing with shoes from Johnston and Murphy.
“I think that’s something shocking if he’s able to do it multiple times here,” Glover said.
Jail records say Beyan has been arrested at least 11 times, charged with larceny, trespassing, and breaking and entering. He’s currently being held on a $12,000 secured bond.
(VIDEO: Fire at Charlotte Premium Outlets under investigation)
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/LH3JSJEF3VBLRJLJQESEAG34AM.png)
