Well...
I've worked at Best Buy for some time now, and it sounds like a simple and fatal breach in protocol OR a really good scam. The item would have to have been a return, and would also have been doctored. Also, as info, this monitor is not a shrink wrapped item - most large items are not, so stop worrying about if it was or wasn't shrink wrapped. As a policy, our stores do not have standard packaging tape. Anywhere. Aside from the rarely found 1/2" scotch tape, everything has some form of writing on it. Whenever an item is brought into the store, it is tagged, then taken to the Service Desk. If the item has been opened, the only way to re-seal it is using tape labled in 2" words, "INSPECTED BY BEST BUY" over and over. Any item with this tape is also accompanied by an 'Open Item' sticker which has a price reduction and note of any parts missing, etc. Now, if the item was brought in, and appeared as new ( ie: the previous purchaser had removed the monitor, placed the MDF wood and brick inside, then used his own tape delicately to appear as though it had never been opened ) it would not have been inspected by the Service Desk. If an item has not been opened ( or apears as such ), it will not be opened, so as to avoid an 'Open Item' sticker. Yes, there is always a restocking fee on opened items, which is directly taken off the item's 'Open Item' price... as said previously, to prevent people from 'renting' hardware until newer versions come out. Returned items may be sold as new, but only on the condition that they were never opened. Sure, there are clues as to if the item had been opened, such as the second layer of tape that would have been on the box, or the way the first guy acted as he returned it. Granted, on a busy day these would be hard to spot. There is always the chance of a corrupt employee, but I have never heard of a theft of this magnitude. It would be impossible to sneak the monitor out ( you can't fit a device that large into your pants ), and there are no other means of leaving the store except for the front door, at least not without setting off many alarms. For this reason, I'd say it was probably an item that had been returned, but was so well re-packaged no one noticed. Theft from a warehouse or shipping line is quite rare, and again usually never deals with anything larger than a CD. Even though ( hypothetically ) there may only be the single security guard, he would still have to exchange shifts ( as they overlap ), and travel through areas recorded on CCTV - which can not be erased or modified. This makes it virutally impossible to sneak off a large item. I have never had this problem in our store, and I do not believe we have any record of anything like this happening before. To me, this sounds like a very well executed plan by some lowlife who simply wanted to steal something to big to pocket. As far as the 'How much did it weigh?' question... that'd be impossible to tell. Hand someone a gallon of milk and then ask them how much it weighed. You'll get responses from 'oh, only a pound' ranging to 'oh, at least fifteen.' Seeing as how we do not track serial numbers, it would be difficult, but possible to determine who origionally bought the monitor ( and probably still has it ), but any results would be flaky at best. Oh, and if anyone out there is thinking about trying this - don't expect it to work again. If the poor guy who bought the MDF monitor reads this, you have my appologies dude... I have to see that monitor every day and wouldn't mind having one myself - I feel for you.
