For those of you who were wondering why you recently bought an empty box from Best Buy, look no further for your answer. Three Best Buy employees from a Bridgewater, NJ store were busted for removing items from their boxes and placing them inside the boxes of less expensive items, which they would then buy.

From the Courier News:

Charged with theft, and conspiracy to commit theft, are Michael Lombardozzi, 25, 1178 Fairfield Road, Bridgewater; Jose Caraballo, 18, 452 Front St., Dunellen, and Randy Billie, 21, of Paterson, all sales associates at the store, according to papers filed in Superior Court.

Caraballo told Bridgewater police that he received a call at home Dec. 28 from another employee to come to the store and pick up a box. Court papers state that Caraballo knew it was a box of a relatively low-priced item that was repacked and contained a higher-priced item.

Caraballo took the box to the cashier and paid the price listed for the lower-priced item, authorities said.

When he got home with the box, Caraballo opened it and found an LCD projector valued at $1,499, according to court papers.

Lombardozzi told police that on Dec. 23 he took a Mac Book Pro, valued at $2,700, and put it in a box of a lower-priced item and gave it to another employee to buy, according to court papers. The other employee then gave it back to Lombardozzi, authorities said.

So when you get home and find that your “MacBook” box contains someone like Mr. Lombardozzi’s bathroom tiles, don’t be surprised when you try to return the box and “they don’t believe you.”

Best Buy employees charged with theft [Courier News] (Thanks, Ray!)
(Photo:meghannmarco)

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