The North Miami police are looking for Antonio McKenzie, a “fake Target clerk” suspected of stealing numerous iPod Touches from Target Department Stores in South Florida.
Mr. McKenzie (allegedly) dresses up as a Target employee, wearing a red polo shirt and khaki pants, and pretends to work at the store before grabbing the iPods.
“North Miami Beach police officials say he has extensive knowledge of Target procedures and has even assisted customers,” reports CBS4.
Police say Mr. McKenzie has stolen $17,000 worth of iPods.
Fake Target Clerk Steals $17K In iPods [CBS4 via Switched]
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How could he get at them? They are locked up on the sales floor and the electronics stock room door is also locked.
Its also Target policy to not let anyone in the electronics (zone 9) stockroom alone, you need someone from Electronics dept to open the door as they have the only key besides a high level manager. Then the Electronics person waits in the room with you while you do whatever you do.
This makes little sense. Unless he is duping people who work there into making them think he works there. I guess thats possible but thats a tricky scam.
Either that or this Target isnt following their own rules to prevent theft and if thats the case heads will roll.
@m4ximusprim3: I’ve totally done the same. I wear red a lot (but never khakis), and I’ve definitely ended up helping people several times.
then again, I help people a lot in any store. The other day, in Rite-Aid, a guy asked an employee about alcohol free mouthwashes. The employee just shrugs and goes “um, I have no idea.” As for me, I glanced at the mouthwash on the shelf right next to us, picked one up, and said “this one says alcohol free on the label! Here you go, sir.”
Maybe I should go work in retail.
For the last decade, employers like Target, Kmart, and Walmart have done everything in their power to turn retail jobs into low wage, mindless labor; they hire and fire at will, without any thought to the long-range consequences of their actions; they offer the bare minimum in healthcare benefits and very little in terms of advancement within the company. In short, they treat their employees like easily replaceable drones. Is it any wonder that this pretend employee was able to get away with this theft?
Long-term employees who are well-treated and earn a living wage are more vested in their company. They care about their store and would most likely notice some joker trying to pass himself off as one of them.
@deweydecimated:
You could have said instead of “And I’m married to him.”
“And later on I’m gonna sleep with him!”
[www.snopes.com]
Of course it’s wrong, but I still hope this guy gets away with it. Maybe he can put on some dark blue shirt and pants, wander into the North Miami police department, and tell a desk clerk that the warrant for Antonio McKenzie’s arrest has been cancelled.
Although what this guy did is clearly wrong, I still hope he gets away with it. Maybe he can just put on a dark blue shirt and pants, stroll into the North Miami police department, and tell a desk clerk to cancel the warrant for his arrest.
Oh, so my original post finally appears just as I finish retyping it. Maybe I can put on a fedora like the guy in the logo, walk into the Consumerist offices, and use their computers to delete my duplicate comment.
I go to Walmart all the time in my red, logo embroidered shirt, and get asked all the time if I work there. Ugh.
Then again, when I am at work, organizing DVDs, with a walkie on, and in a red and black uniform, I again get asked if I work there.
Go figure.
Oh and to the person who asked how he could possibly fit 14 Ipods on himself:
The Ipod touch has a pretty small box. The top slides completely over the bottom. If the Ipods arent in individual cases, which I’m assuming they’re not, all you have to do is open the box (it’s sealed with just a clear round sticker) and you have an extremely thin Ipod to put in a pocket. For most guys pants, including khakis, the pockets are huge. Plus since the Ipod itself does not have any security tag on it, he would not beep going out the door.
@DashTheHand: I am with Target Asset Protection (Security) and I have seen the videos. He usually walks into the store through the main entrance, walks straight to electronics and starts helping guests. When it gets really buisy, he walks up to the electronics cashier (Who is helping a guest in line) and says he needs the keys for a second to help someone in personal audio. He then opens the I-Pod case and places between 6 and 15 I-Pods in a Target bag he brought in with him. He then leaves the key and exits out the Garden center doors, which rarely have security at it.
If only that guy could harness his guile for good!
Speaking of mistaken identity… I have a North Face blue vest that I wear in the fall. When I stop into Wal-Mart to shop, especially if I have my work IDs on– people ask me questions all the time.
“No, sorry I don’t work here, but I can help you…”