Thieves Caught On Camera Stealing Employees' iPhones At Lakeview Store
CHICAGO (CBS) -- It is estimated that this year as many as a million-and-a-half iPhones and smart phones will be stolen. One runner's store, the Universal Sole, on North Lincoln Avenue is one of the locations where it has already happened.
It's a one stop shopping center for the Lakeview running community, shoes, clothing and gadgets abounding. Yesterday just before 2 p.m., three young thieves caught on one of several surveillance cameras are seen coming into the Universal Sole and turning it into a one stop theft center for iPhones.
"I got a call from my employees that a theft occurred. As the owner I'm like, what happened and is everybody okay," said store owner Joel Feinberg.
What happened was that two members of the trio moved toward the back of the store while the third lingered in the background, near the front counter where two employees' personal iPhones were in plain sight. He takes one phone out of the camera's view.
"They distracted me. They cornered me at the corner of the store where I couldn't see the register," said employee Matt Tugender.
The man who'd been lingering near the front, makes his move and reaches over the counter, unplugs the other iPhone and grabs it. Moments later, the band of thieves walks out the door. The deed is done.
"Literally, within an hour of this happening, a police report was filed, the emails were sent to the police department and today we sent it to the alderman just telling him 'hey, here's the footage,'" said Feinberg.
Police and the victims are hoping somebody who sees this video will recognize the culprits and turn them in. If you know who they are, call 911.
