On the first day of work, a newly hired employee stole 53 iPhones
STEALING SPREE – A newly hired employee was caught on CCTV stealing 53 iPhones from an electronics store in Russia on his first day of work.
In October 2023, the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs released a 22-second video of the incident. The video showed a man seemingly cleaning and then placing the iPhones, still in their cases, into a suitcase and several bags.
The employee paid no attention even though he was visible on the surveillance camera. He attempted to alter the camera’s direction using a mop, but his efforts were unsuccessful.
Despite being well aware that he was being filmed, he continued to place the iPhones in his bags. According to the video, approximately 53 brand-new iPhones were stolen, along with money from the cash register.
After the theft, the employee left the store as if nothing had happened. It was discovered that the man was the sales manager of the electronics store. He was not named, but according to the Russian news outlet Lenta, the police stated he was 44 years old. Authorities were astonished to find that the theft occurred on his very first day at work.
The Lenta report indicated that the management only discovered later that the suspect used false documents to secure his job. On his initial day as a sales manager, the store entrusted him with the store keys, and on the day of the theft, he arrived earlier than his colleagues.
After the theft, he departed for his home in Sevastopol. However, the suspect made no attempt to hide his face from the surveillance camera, leading to a swift police identification.
Although the police recovered some of the phones, some had already been sold by the suspect. The employee faces a criminal complaint and is currently in police custody. The electronics store estimated the stolen iPhones’ worth at PHP 1,784,032.00.