Fake Target Employee Steals $17K In iPods
If you've ever had the misfortune of accidentally wearing a red shirt into a Target store, chances are pretty good that you were tapped on the shoulder by some other customer. The store's red shirts are so noticeable that it's hard to not assume anyone wearing red there is an employee. That's exactly the impression a man in Miami Beach, Florida exploited to walk off with $17-thousand worth of Apple's iPod Touch music players.The man, 24-year-old Antonio McKenzie, simply threw on a red polo and wandered into a number of Target stores in southern Florida. On his way to a store's electronics section, he'd help out a few customers before helping himself to the iPods on the shelf. He'd then simply walk out with the devices without anyone stopping him. His antics were noticed on camera, however, and he's currently on the run from the North Miami Police Department.
So, always look for the logo before assuming someone is an employee -- especially if they're walking out of the store with an armful of expensive electronics.
From CBS4
Related Links:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
NYWOMAN @ Feb 6th 2008 10:17AM
Look for the LOGO? Target allows their employees to wear any styled red shirt, the shirts are not issued or monitored by the company. It's an easy scam to get away with. Watch Out.
Steve @ Feb 6th 2008 2:14PM
My girlfriend worked for Target for 9 years. They all bought their own shirts. In fact, she didnt own one with a logo.
The man is a genious.
Angelica @ Feb 6th 2008 2:24PM
I personally work for target now, and we all supply our own shirts but alot of us do own red shirts with logos on them that we have earned. This Ipod/zune issue is very popular in california too. I have seen it happen in a few stores. It can happen in any store anywhere walmart, kmart, bestbuy.
Terry Adams @ Feb 6th 2008 2:26PM
My son worked there during the Christmas holidays this year. The company does not furnish the red shirts, and any red shirt will do. The logo referenced in the article by Tim Stevens is on the employee name badge, worn conspicuously on the left chest of the employee's shirt.
liver and onions @ Feb 6th 2008 2:28PM
NO STEVE - THE MAN IS A THIEF AND DON'T YOU FORGET IT!!
Kate @ Feb 6th 2008 2:30PM
the man isn't a genious. he's a thief. he'll eventually be caught and sent to prison like all the other idiots who thought they were smarter than the system too.
carol @ Feb 6th 2008 2:30PM
Get an ORANGE APRON~~thats what we do at Home Depot~!!!! lol
Dan @ Feb 6th 2008 2:33PM
As a former Assets Protection Specialist for Target, I am amazed these high dollar items were not in a locked and secure display case. That is the easiest deterrent to this kind of theft. These items should of also had a security tag on them either placed by the manufacturer or the store itself. The sensors at the front door would have sounded and the Target Protection Specialist, (The security person at the front of the store), would have noticed this activity and also not recognized the thief as an employee and could have made a customer service stop and alerted the APS or APTL(Assets Protection Team Leader)to make an apprehension.
I saw lots of different kinds of theft when I was with Target, and this is a simple theft scheme, which could have easily been detected and stopped without loss.
Someone at District and or Spoke level will be looking for a head or two to roll over this.
A few job openings coming soon in the North Miami area.
ted @ Feb 6th 2008 2:33PM
why to go ! people wonder about and say about race?????? get rid of the border crossers and give people jobs.....11 million illegials???? give them a riffle send them overseas,instead of free education,medical.food and housing.then they work on top of things?????look what most drive and live and where there money goes,free from taxes etc....if we got rid of all the illegials look how much gas we would save!!!!!Americans get up off your ass and demand your right to work...and kick a mexican home
Mrs07RN09 @ Feb 6th 2008 2:36PM
When I worked for Target a few years ago, they didn't have company issued polos. We could just wear any shirt (polo, t-shirt, sweater) as long as it was red. The polos with logos on them are earned like a previous poster said. I hope they will look at this situation and think about issuing company polos with the bullseye embroidered logo to every employee!
ted @ Feb 6th 2008 2:47PM
question????? if this man had a job would have he had to do this??? state of delaware...man arested for stealing loaf a bed and a qt of milk for a baby givin 10months in stste jail...cost to tax payers mre than loaf of bread and milk for 1 day in jail....smart move delaware..good use of tax payers money...GIVE AND BUY AMERICAN GOODS...F....WALMART AND SAMS CLUB...MADE WHERE..YOUR JOBS....NOT
Anna @ Feb 6th 2008 3:01PM
"Ted", dont be ignorant. This has nothing to do with race. There are lots of criminals from different races out there and you know it. If you don't then you are stupid!! Just for the record yes this guy should get caught!
StickyFeet @ Feb 6th 2008 3:14PM
What this article failed to say is that the guy walked up to the holiday temp help at the electronics counter asked for the keys to locked cabinets, and then emptied them out. So not only did he fool the customers he also fooled the employees.
Mary @ Feb 6th 2008 3:15PM
TED you are really a m-o-r-o-n.
Not all illigals are mexicans. How about all the canadians, french, english, asians, australians, south americans and so on and so on. Always blaming averything on the mexicans, Moron
Sugar @ Feb 6th 2008 3:18PM
wow. there are so many employees at these large stores that it's easy to not get noticed. i worked for a store that had people climbing in the ceilings for days and people just assumed they were repair men and they were actually staying up there plotting a robbery. the store manager hardly told anyone what was going on and one of the guys was the old managers son-in-law who used to work there so no one thought anything about it. i think it's hilarious.
Sugar @ Feb 6th 2008 3:23PM
and all you morons misspelling "genius" by typing GENIOUS...can take a lesson from that clever cat.
V. @ Feb 6th 2008 3:40PM
What I find unbelievable is that the devices were "on the shelf". In the Target where I worked up until last week, they are locked in glass cases and only the Electronics team member has the keys. I have to think there is a little more to this story...
NICKI @ Feb 6th 2008 3:43PM
My husband works for Target Asset Protection. When he heard this he laughed. These aitems are REQUIRED to be in the locked cases in the electronics department. He said this is why many Target Stores now provide T-shirts (at cost to the employees)with the Target logo on it.
ImAFedExGirl @ Feb 6th 2008 3:48PM
I purchased two iPOD Nanos that were $149.00 each last summer and it was a huge hassle to "purchase" them period. They were locked inside a see through case,(I live in suburbia too, not a city) had to locate assistance, after doing so and having the case opened the employee stood there which made me feel rushed and uncomfortable as I was uneducated on iPODS, they were gifts and considered it a large purchase and then I had to pay immediately for them right there in the department (but only the iPODs...none of my other shopping). I've also had problems with DVD's there. The ones that have a cardboard jacket over the plasctic DVD case. Now I look carefully, but it took getting burned twice to learn this lesson. They remove the jacket, slit the side of the DVD case, let the DVD slide right out thru the thin cut, slide the jacket back on, place it back on the shelf and it sits waiting for an unsuspecting customer.
I hope his Mother is real proud.
eengle54 @ Feb 6th 2008 3:59PM
Give me a break. We have an attention problem in the US.
The guy is a thief plain and simple. He would not work if you gave him a job. He is a PROFESSIONAL THIEF. That is all he does or will do for a living.
He will not work because it is easier and more productive to STEAL. The Issue was the THIEF not his nationality, or his race, or his color. He is a thief using the seams in Targets system. The issue is Target does not control invebtory and then expects you and I to pay for their lack of control by increasing prices.
If you are niave enough to think the man in the picture would work if you gave him a job then I have a bridge I want to sell you CHEAP.
GROW UP you MORONS