Shorewood Investigator Burned For Smoking

resident and retired Chicago cop Robert L. Thomas was making $78,000 a year as an invesitgator with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office — until he quit after hidden cameras caught him spending his work days in a Bridgeport cigar shop, reports the Huffington Post.

"An investigation by the Better Government Association and FOX Chicago News found Robert L. Thomas — a retired Chicago cop hired by the state’s attorney’s office in 1997 — spent large parts of his days hanging out at Gianni Cigars Etc. at 31st and Canal when he was supposed to be working. (When the shop moved a couple of blocks away this month, he started showing up there, too.)," the Huffington Post story said.

But Thomas' days in the smoke are over — or at least over while he's on the county payroll, says the story:

"Just days after the 66-year-old Shorewood resident was confronted on camera and asked why he frequented the shop on duty, Thomas resigned his $78,000-a-year position – although he still, apparently, will be able to collect a public-sector pension through Cook County. He already is collecting a Chicago police pension of around $40,000 a year."