Inside job suspected in $200K Sugar Land Best Buy burglary

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Thursday, March 19, 2015
Inside job suspected in Best Buy theft
An inside job is suspected in a recent burglary in which a thief stole $200K in merchandise

SUGAR LAND, TX (KTRK) -- Detectives are investigating a burglary at the Sugar Land Best Buy after a thief managed to get in and out of the store almost undetected with $200,000 worth of merchandise.

The theft happened at the Best Buy in the 16000 block of U.S. Highway 59 on March 15 around 11:20pm.

There were no signs of forced entry, according to authorities.

Doug Adolph, of the Sugar Land Police Department, said, "It appears he knows the layout of the store. He understood how the locking mechanism worked, how the security cameras operated, as I indicated, there's a high probability this was probably an inside job."

Surveillance video shows a man unlock the front doors at 11:20 p.m., enter the loss prevention office and disable the store's surveillance cameras. The man was wearing a gray hooded jacket and black dress pants with a bandana covering his face.

Seven metal retail cages throughout the store were found unlocked and open.

Laptop and tablet computers, digital cameras and iPhones stored in the cages were gone. Approximately 140 products totaling more than $200,000 were reported stolen.

Police believe the thief left through a back door that was found propped open with boxes of merchandise.

The community is left shaken following this burglary.

Bill Strodbeck said, "It seems to be the world we have right now. People are taking advantage wherever they can."

Another area resident Jordan Covington said, "People these days just blow my mind. I mean, if it's not yours, don't take it. I mean, I've had things taken from me before and it's not a fun situation. Hopefully justice will be served."

Anyone with information should call the Sugar Land Police Department at (281) 275-2540 or Fort Bend County Crime Stoppers at (281) 342-TIPS (8477).