Store worker allegedly gave himself a 99% discount on $118k’s worth of MacBooks and more

Source: 9to5Mac

Overview

A Best Buy employee has been charged with fraud after allegedly using his manager’s override code to give himself discounts of up to 99 % on MacBook Pro models and other high‑value electronics. Police estimate the total value of the products “purchased” by the employee and his associates at more than $118,000.

Timeline & Investigation

• December 2024 – The store’s manager noticed irregular sales while reviewing inventory, prompting an internal investigation.
• Private investigators hired by Best Buy uncovered that the employee, identified as Lettera, made 97 discounted purchases for himself (totaling $81,717) and 52 additional transactions for others (adding $36,573 in losses).
• The scheme spanned several months, according to a report from CW34.

Police recovered several pawned MacBook Pro models, using local pawn‑shop records and the employee’s thumbprint as evidence. The pawnshops cooperated fully with law enforcement.

Broader Context

• Retail theft focus: ArsTechnica notes that employee theft has become a higher priority for retail investigations, with high staff turnover contributing to low detection rates.
• Related incident: The same report cites another Best Buy employee who allowed shoplifters to leave the store without paying for over 100 items, including AirPods and Beats headphones.

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Photo credit: Jaime Marrero on Unsplash.