A former Warren police officer has been convicted on less serious charges than those filed after he was accused of towing a car from private property to keep for himself.

49-year-old Reuben Shaw was originally charged grand theft of an automobile, theft in office, dereliction of duty, falsification and breaking and entering.

On Monday, Shaw pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of theft, dereliction of duty, falsification and criminal trespassing.

The theft in office charges was dismissed.

In return for the plead, Shaw has agreed to surrender his peace officer license and resign from the police force.

Shaw was fired by Police Chief Eric Merkel who says Shaw was investigating reports of possible trespassing on Kenwood Avenue last June, when he spotted a 1969 Chevy Nova in a garage.

Merkel says Shaw told other police officers that he'd like to have a car like the Nova so he could restore it.

Later that day, while still on duty, Shaw allegedly went back to the garage and had the Chevy towed to his own garage on Palmyra Road.

Merkel says that Shaw did not have permission to be inside the locked garage, did not have permission to take the vehicle, and violated department protocol for towing abandoned vehicles.

Shaw also agreed to withdraw a grievance he filed alleging that his termination was unjust, discriminatory, arbitrary, and that the chief conducted an investigation without Shaw's knowledge or acquiescence.

Shaw will be sentenced after a pre-sentence report is completed.