Posted on 03/27/2018 11:50:50 AM PDT by conservative98
Maybe he was trying to get a jump on the company’s upcoming liquidation.
Long before Toys ‘R’ Us announced plans to go out of the toy business, an employee at a store in Virginia stole nearly 3,000 toys before flipping them on eBay for nearly $123,000, authorities said.
Obaid Sheikh, 25, stole 2,970 toys during his four years of working at a Toys ‘R’ Us location in Fairfax and then sold the items online, WJLA reports.
An asset protection manager for Toys ‘R’ Us launched an investigation in October 2017 after a string of thefts at the store. He later found a seller’s account on eBay with the username “YoungHov289” that had been selling new toys, some of which were labeled as Toys ‘R’ Us exclusives.
The asset protection manager linked the account to Sheikh, who admitted stealing the toys via the store’s back door before putting them in the trunk of his car. A review of company records later found that Sheikh had spent only $4.24 in store purchases.
After his arrest in late February, Sheikh admitted to a detective from the Fairfax County Police Department that he concocted the scheme because he felt mistreated at the store.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
Average of $40+ apiece? If that’s the case, maybe this is a working business model for them going forward.
He felt mistreated at the store??? Okay........
Inventory shrinkage, or whatever the correct term is for missing merchandise, is a huge problem in retailing.
And a major piece of that is that retailers battle against theft by their own employees.
In some stores, there are reports that employee theft is a bigger problem than shoplifting.
It’s amazing such a popular store is failing. (But sears was once the world’s largest store and very popular too, before its recent management wrecked it.).
“Sheikh used the proceeds in part to pay for college-related expenses, he said.”
How can you condemn a youngster for dreaming?
“I’m going to be out of a job soon, and why should liquidators have all the fun??”
oh, so the POS felt so “mistreated” that he continued working there for FOUR years. What garbage....
I wonder how much of Ebay’s sales consist of stolen items? Probably a good chunk of the “new” items, I would imagine.
Several years ago, an engineer was selling company parts and equipment on ebay and fired.
He was caught when someone here found his ebay page. It had his picture with a couple of classic cars he owned.
The back door with alarm deactivated all the time?
Johnny Cash: “One Piece at a Time”. :)
Maybe he can get a job in retail in Atlanta someday after he gets out of prison. I here their not going to go after shoplifting anymore...
Obaid was Sheikhing his booty on eBay?
Nearly 3,000 items from a single location from just one thief is unbelievable. Assuming that store had the (unfortunately) usual run-of-the-mill sticky-fingered shoppers and help otherwise, loss must have ranked up there with utilities in expenses.
Maybe he and other associates are why they’re going out of business.
If that engineer could build a car out of valves, pipes, controllers, and such, I’d be impressed.
I think CL has many scammers too. I see multiple fake vehicle listings often. I have sold vehicles on both platforms. Caveat emptor.
I’ve done some vehicle peddling on CL and a good sense of judgement is required.
My 65 Willys and 82 CJ7 buys came from CL and went well.
I’m hoping to peddle some extra wheels I don’t need. Two sets of 5 lug. One set is a set of Cragars gray 16 that I bought out of not knowing better and wound up never using.
The other are some slightly pitted and corroded but very salvagable chrome Jeep CJ chrome wheels and centercaps.
I priced them getting fixed by a powdercoating crowd. It’s too high for me. I’d love to use them but there is reality.
There are Cragar Nomad wheels out there that look a lot like the original white wagon wheels that CJs used to have. At least I don’t have to polish them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.