Well, they are all stupid, but some of them have pretty good ideas to get away with shit. Long story short: The guy was in the store approximately a minute and a half, and got out with a $500 computer. We didn't discover what had happened until almost 3 hours after it was done. One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to shoplift I have ever seen anyone do. The guy even stopped and talked to the people greeter while he was walking out with his new computer.

I got him on video though, so he'll get caught eventually.

eBay for hot items.

so how did he do it?

Quoted: so how did he do it?

Jedi Mind Trick.

"This is not the computer you are looking for"  [waves hand]

Quoted: Quoted: so how did he do it? Jedi Mind Trick. "This is not the computer you are looking for"  [waves hand]

Thats how i get all of my free things

There is no computer.

Quoted: There is no computerspoon.

Quoted: so how did he do it?

Quickly

Quoted: Quoted: There is no computerspoon. spoonfilm.com/images/nospoon2.jpg

He didnt steal a spoon.  He stole a computer.
I substituted spoon for computer.

Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!???

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is no computerspoon. spoonfilm.com/images/nospoon2.jpg He didnt steal a spoon.  He stole a computer. I substituted spoon for computer.

he used his skill at bending spoons with his mind to distract the greeter from the computer under his shirt.  

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There is no computerspoon. spoonfilm.com/images/nospoon2.jpg He didnt steal a spoon.  He stole a computer. I substituted spoon for computer. he used his skill at bending spoons with his mind to distract the greeter from the computer under his shirt.

Sometimes the easiest way to steal something is right infront of your eyes in the open.

People have stolen (driven cars right off of a car lot) and nobody noticed. Now that has changed.

Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!???

Do you put returns back on the shelf?

I've usually heard of this happening with computer items.  Either you find something that approximates the weight of the product, or you find an OLD thing (keyboard, mouse, video card, memory) from whomever bought the new product, swapped out and returned the old one.

Jim

Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!???

Employee

Quoted: Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!??? Employee

I'd go with that too.

Quoted: Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!??? Do you put returns back on the shelf? I've usually heard of this happening with computer items.  Either you find something that approximates the weight of the product, or you find an OLD thing (keyboard, mouse, video card, memory) from whomever bought the new product, swapped out and returned the old one. Jim

i ran a search and we never had taken a return on this particular product.  i would lean towards employee theft, but the people that would have had access have no motive.  i have already sold dyson vacuums to  most of the people that would be in a position to steal one.
im thinking its higher than store level

Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!???

Were they new stores clothes, or were they used clothes? If they were used clothes then someone bought the vacuum, then returned the box stuffed full of clothes to get their money back.

I've seen customers return bottles of oil that had milk(spoiled by the time it was discovered) poured back into the empty bottles.

My favorite was the DVD player/recorder($400) that was returned. When the electronics associate came to pick it up, he noticed it was a little light. He opened the box to find only a half eaten moldy pizza

Quoted: Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!??? Were they new stores clothes, or were they used clothes? If they were used clothes then someone bought the vacuum, then returned the box stuffed full of clothes to get their money back. I've seen customers return bottles of oil that had milk(spoiled by the time it was discovered) poured back into the empty bottles. My favorite was the DVD player/recorder($400) that was returned. When the electronics associate came to pick it up, he noticed it was a little light. He opened the box to find only a half eaten moldy pizza

they were nasty smelly old clothes.  that was one of the main hints that the customer had nothing to do with it.  the clothes smelled like they were wrapped around a rotting racoon, and the customer didnt smell anything like that

When I worked at Sears, There was this one incident where these guys pulled up in a truck... wheeled in an appliance dolly.. right up to one of the 2500.00 refrigerators and strapped it up and rolled it right on out the front door... GET THIS the store MANAGER HELD THE DOOR OPEN FOR THESE  GUYS AND CONGRATULATED THEM ON THE PURCHASE EVEN!!!

About three hours later the department manager wanted to know where that unit went since there were like a dozen of them in stock so there was no reason to sell the floor model.

Quoted: When I worked at Sears, There was this one incident where these guys pulled up in a truck... wheeled in an appliance dolly.. right up to one of the 2500.00 refrigerators and strapped it up and rolled it right on out the front door... GET THIS the store MANAGER HELD THE DOOR OPEN FOR THESE  GUYS AND CONGRATULATED THEM ON THE PURCHASE EVEN!!! About three hours later the department manager wanted to know where that unit went since there were like a dozen of them in stock so there was no reason to sell the floor model.

It proves one thing.  Act like you are supposed to be there doing what you are doing and you could get away with just about any thing in broud daylight.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!??? Were they new stores clothes, or were they used clothes? If they were used clothes then someone bought the vacuum, then returned the box stuffed full of clothes to get their money back. I've seen customers return bottles of oil that had milk(spoiled by the time it was discovered) poured back into the empty bottles. My favorite was the DVD player/recorder($400) that was returned. When the electronics associate came to pick it up, he noticed it was a little light. He opened the box to find only a half eaten moldy pizza they were nasty smelly old clothes.  that was one of the main hints that the customer had nothing to do with it.  the clothes smelled like they were wrapped around a rotting racoon, and the customer didnt smell anything like that

Sorry, but the customer did it.  They did that to throw you off, and it obviously worked.  

I ran a game/comic store at one point, and, I used to let the guys
stay after buisness hours to play various RP/Card games/miniatures
games.  Somone stole a whole bunch of games and stuck old
magazines in the boxes.  Cleaned me out of about 500.00 of inventory,
which was pretty devastating for a buisness my size.


 I hate fucking thieves.  

I knew a guy in High School that stole an entire set of golf clubs from a Kmart. He went in 3 or 4 days in a row, each time stuffing a couple clubs down his pant leg and walking out with a stiff leg. The image still makes me laugh although I despise theives.

My niece turned 2 and was having a birthday party. Her Grandpa bought her a big plastic toy box from Walmart. My niece unwrapped it and my brother cut the tape. She opened it and was very excited. She got a DVD player, car stereo, 4 or 5 PlayStation 2s, and some other small electronic stuff. This was a few years ago when the PS2s were fairly new. I am guessing an employee swapped the stuff out and was sending someone in to buy it. I'm sure they were pissed when they did get a toy box.

I know a guy who was hanging out with a friend of his. The friend asked him if he would return a $600 digital camera to Walmart for him. The friend offered to pay him like $20 to do it, he said yes. When he got to the service desk they opened the box. There was no camera, just a can of peaches. He was pissed. He told them he didn't do it and they gave him the money. He returned a can of peaches and they gave him $600!

That guys 'friend' used to walk out of Walmart all of the time with computers. They couldn't keep them in stock he stole so many. He had to drive all over town to different Walmarts that would have some in stock. He is a drug user.

I was standing in line at Walmart and watched a guy return a TV. It was just sitting in a cart like he had just ran out of someone's house with it. No remote, no owners manual, no box, and no receipt. They gave him the money.

I always drop my wife off at the door then go park. One time after I did this I walked in the door, Walmart, and passed a women pushing a cart over flowing with stuff out the door. There where 2 old ladies, greeters, standing there. They just looked at each other and said 'oh well, she got away' and went back to talking. I said call security and chased the women. She let go of the cart and ran. I got in my car and drove to the other end of the lot where a cop was sitting. I told him and he picked her up. The cop told the manager I was the one that stopped her. He just looked at me, nodded his head and walked away. I was like, your welcome, next time they can steal it for all I care.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!??? Were they new stores clothes, or were they used clothes? If they were used clothes then someone bought the vacuum, then returned the box stuffed full of clothes to get their money back. I've seen customers return bottles of oil that had milk(spoiled by the time it was discovered) poured back into the empty bottles. My favorite was the DVD player/recorder($400) that was returned. When the electronics associate came to pick it up, he noticed it was a little light. He opened the box to find only a half eaten moldy pizza they were nasty smelly old clothes.  that was one of the main hints that the customer had nothing to do with it.  the clothes smelled like they were wrapped around a rotting racoon, and the customer didnt smell anything like that Sorry, but the customer did it.  They did that to throw you off, and it obviously worked.

+1. clothes were in the car, bought vacuun, took it to car, took out vacuum, but clothes in box. called store and complained. See if you got an address on the guy...bet he lives more than 15 minutes away from the store.

No Expert

Quoted: Heres a brain buster......we got a customer come back with a dyson vacuum box that was stuffed with clothes.  about 15 minutes after they bought it, they called us and then came right back in.  we have totally ruled out the customer as being involved in a scam.....so how do you figure out where the vacuum went!!!???

This is why you check all big boxes going out and coming in.  Here's what happened at my store.  Manager came over to help a cashier scan a car seat, that she couldnt lift out of the cart.  Manager notices that its Awfully heavy for a car seat.  Pops it open and yatzee.  $3K of software, dvd players, electronics you name it.  Guy was like thats not mine, I dont want that.  Security pulled the tape, and he didnt stuff the box, so he walked.  After that, all big boxes were checked going out.

Different store same company, customer brings in a fileing cabinet that she just bought.  Box is stuffed with clothes, software, dvd players etc.  $850 of stuff, recovered due to an honest customer.  Still not checking big boxes.  Same store this time a return.  Guy brings in a TV that he wants to return.  Pop the box open, and its bricks and clothes.  Guy runs off.  Atleast they check stuff coming back.  

Got to check all big boxes going out and in, otherwise its a matter of time until it happens to you.    

Quoted: I always drop my wife off at the door then go park. One time after I did this I walked in the door, Walmart, and passed a women pushing a cart over flowing with stuff out the door. There where 2 old ladies, greeters, standing there. They just looked at each other and said 'oh well, she got away' and went back to talking. I said call security and chased the women. She let go of the cart and ran. I got in my car and drove to the other end of the lot where a cop was sitting. I told him and he picked her up. The cop told the manager I was the one that stopped her. He just looked at me, nodded his head and walked away. I was like, your welcome, next time they can steal it for all I care.

Wal-Mart company policy is not to accuse people of theft, even if it means a theif walking out with a billion dollars.  If security catches them in the act, then its a different story.  But this goes back to the whole recipt checking thing, which I happen to agree with the policy of "No thank you" and keep walking.  YMMV.