Associate chief medical officer making $300,000 a year is arrested for STEALING from Target as she makes her way out of the store - and cops say she also did it on three separate occasions

Dr. Melissa Ivers of UNM Medical Group was arrested in December by Albuquerque police as she was attempting to exit the store with $210 worth of goodsMembers from Target's loss prevention team said Ivers had hit the store three other times in the same month, and they had a case open on her The Assistant District Attorney ordered Ivers to attend a pre-prosecution diversion program instead of jailtime

An Albuquerque dentist and associate chief medical officer earning nearly $300,000 a year was arrested for stealing up to $1,000 worth of merchandise from a local Target store.

Dr. Melissa Ivers of UNM Medical Group was busted last month when officers from the Albuquerque police arrested her as she was exiting the store allegedly attempting to pilfer $210 worth of goods.

Members from the loss prevention team were looking for Ivers after she had hit the big box retailer three other times – November 11, November 28 and December 6 –  but they weren’t able to identify who she was.

Bodycam footage shows officers approaching Ivers on December 13 as she was holding her receipt while exiting the store. The officer says, ‘Ma’am let’s go inside right now. We need to talk to you. You’ve been detained for shoplifting,’ KOB4 News reported.

Ivers appears concerned as another officer instructs her to remove her hands from her pockets, as she responds ‘sorry, sorry,’ as she is escorted back into the store.

Ivers was arrested and faced a charge of shoplifting over $500 but less than $2,500. Instead of jailtime, the Assistant District Attorney Clair Gardner ordered that she  attend a pre-prosecution diversion program.

Dr. Melissa Ivers of UNM Medical Group (pictured) was busted last month when officers from the Albuquerque police arrested her as she was exiting the store attempting to pilfer $210 worth of goods

Bodycam footage shows officers approaching Ivers on December 13 as she was holding her reciept while exiting the store. The officer says, ‘Ma’am let’s go inside right now. We need to talk to you. You’ve been detained for shoplifting,’ KOB4 News reported

Ivers appears concerned as another officer instructs her to remove her hands from her pockets, as she responds ‘sorry, sorry,’ as she is escorted back into the store

Iver’s alleged stealing spree at the popular retail chain started on November 11 when she was accused of stealing $595 worth of items.

Two weeks later, she allegedly returned to the same store and snatched another $132 worth of goods, and on December 6, pilfered $173 worth of products.

A member from the loss prevention team said each time Ivers shoplifted, she was able to get past the checkout and walk out the exit without getting caught.

On Thursday, Assistant District Attorney Clair Gardner told the court the case was being dropped, and instead, Ivers will attend a pre-prosecution diversion program.

The assistant DA said Ivers was a candidate for the program since it was her first arrest, the Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney said in a statement to KOB4News.

The pre-prosecution program supervised by the DA’s office is similar to probation but is supervised by prosecutors.

The Second Judicial District Attorney’s office explained that participants must check in with their PPD officer regularly. They are also drug tested, and must attend any counseling deemed necessary, get a job or go to school, and pay restitution if there is any needed, Law&Crime reported.

‘If they successfully complete the charges their case is dismissed,’ they said. ‘If they do not successfully complete then we prosecute charges as normal.’

Ivers has been a member of the UNM team since she began her residency in 2009. She also works in private practice at High Country Dental in Rio Rancho.

Her salary as of January 5, 2024 was $286,000 a year, according to the UNM Sunshine Portal.

Ivers, a mother of three sons, reported the shoplifting charges she was facing to her employer and is currently on paid administrative leave

Ivers, a mother of three sons, reported the shoplifting charges she was facing to her employer and is currently on paid administrative leave.

Chris Ramirez, a spokesperson at UNM Health and Health Sciences, issued a statement to DailyMail.com on the matter.

‘UNM’s leadership is aware of the situation with Dr. Melissa Ivers,’ he said.

‘She has been placed on administrative leave while we follow the appropriate procedures and processes,’ they said.