Best Buy employee accused of embezzlement from Pittsfield Township store
A 23-year-old Ypsilanti man is being charged with embezzlement after he allegedly devised a scheme to credit false returns he made at the the Best Buy store where he worked back to a personal credit card, Pittsfield Township police say.
Pittsfield Detective Lt. Sean McCormick said Thomas Means is being charged with embezzlement of $10,000 or more relating to offenses that date back several months at Best Buy, 3100 Lohr Road. Police are still working to determine exactly how long the scheme may have taken place. Court records indicate it may be as far back as 2009.
Police said Means is accused of returning items he never purchased and issuing himself gift cards for the merchandise.
“He was making returns without receipts on products and issuing a gift card for the non-existing return and purchasing the exact same product with a gift card and crediting it back to his credit card,” McCormick said Tuesday.
Deputy Police Chief Gordy Schick said Means had been employed at the Best Buy store since 2005, most recently as an operations manager. Members of the store's loss prevention staff caught onto the scheme and alerted Pittsfield Township police, he said.
McCormick had no further information on the pending charge, which was filed Friday, and said Means has not yet been arrested. He could not comment on Means' current employment status.
Heidi Fenton is a police/courts reporter for AnnArbor.com. You can reach her by phone at (734)623-4673 or email her at heidifenton@annarbor.com
Comments
Anonymous
Fri, Jun 24, 2011 : 5:09 p.m.
I worked with Tommy years ago, he was a nice guy...but he was not poor, didn't have kids, he was just greedy, it appears. When I worked at this store, another employee was fired and arrested for doing basically the same exact thing. Tommy must have been paid pretty well, he was a manager, they make good money at Best Buy, I was a part-time employee and made a decent hourly wage here.
cook1888
Thu, Jun 16, 2011 : 12:56 a.m.
Thou shalt not steal.
Anonymous
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 5:18 p.m.
I think we all need to take a step back here and realize that everyone makes mistakes. I've known Tommy for many years and I find it very hard to believe that he would do something like this, but regardless, it doesn't change all of the good that he's done within the community. He made a huge mistake, one that will follow him for the rest of his life. All I think he can do now is try to move forward with his life and do the right thing. He is and was a good person who regrettably made a horrible decision, but horrible decisions don't have to define you as a person. I hope Tommy comes back from this stronger than ever, and that he has a good support system around him right now.
russellr
Thu, Jun 9, 2011 : 2:06 a.m.
I agree we have a very stupid nation. Obama just gave Egypt 2 BILLION DOLLARS today. I guess we are going to borrow it from China to give to them. This country is in shambles. There is alot of stupidity going on in American. Look at our leaders. Michael Weiner, Spitszer from New York, Clinton. I could go on and on. Just because the system is wrong doesn't make it right to steal from a company. He had a good job and paid well. It was his choice on doing what he did. We all make choices and if there wrong choices we pay the price. I hope he makes everything right with God and Best Buy.
jrigglem
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 7:17 p.m.
My question is: How was he able to return it to a credit card? If he purchased it with a gift card his only option should have been to return it back to a gift card.
A2comments
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 8:23 p.m.
As a manager, he likely had override authority.
aawolve
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 4:22 p.m.
annarbor.com- Why do you name suspects in some stories, but refuse to name the convicted criminal in this story? <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/news/u-m-graduate-student-whose-plan-helped-catch-a-thief-to-be-honored-for-his-effort/?plckFindCommentKey=CommentKey:bce51ea0-ba10-4521-8713-458d1906c84a">http://www.annarbor.com/news/u-m-graduate-student-whose-plan-helped-catch-a-thief-to-be-honored-for-his-effort/?plckFindCommentKey=CommentKey:bce51ea0-ba10-4521-8713-458d1906c84a</a>
walker101
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 12:06 p.m.
The opportunity to steal is more important than the need for money. A majority of employee theft goes undetected by management. Less than 10% of the employee population is responsible for more than 95% of the total losses from employee theft. Nearly every business experiences some degree of employee theft. Nearly one-third of all bankruptcies is caused by employee theft. Just a few facts.
Jenn Cleary
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 5:16 a.m.
I used to work with Tommy, and I'll tell you right now, it is extremely hard to believe he did what he did. I still can't accept it today. I know what he did was wrong, but I feel bad for the guy. He's done some really good things for his community, sad this incident shattered it all.
John A2
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 2:37 a.m.
WoW, so many people without a job and now this. Is this saying that even if people find jobs that they still can't afford a living???? It's not OK to steal unless your owner of a huge investment firm. LOL, Really though, these people just aren't satisfied with what they got. This story didn't reveal if the man had several kids, a house, car, and in debt up to his head, and desperate. None of this info is here. It justs said that he is an embezzler. China is taking all our money and we just stand there and ask if they want more. They are laughing at us all the way to the bank. We silently suffer and get desperate for a life of substance. This is hard times we are dealing with, so sit there as we let another country drain our funds. We are an ignorant nation.
A2comments
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 8:26 p.m.
China? What does it matter if he had debts? He is a thief, he got caught, and now he will be punished.
RJA
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 12:27 a.m.
I just find it so sad when one embezzles from their employer. Especially after working there 6 years, and now operations mananger. Hopefully this can be resolved, without to much court action.
A2comments
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 8:28 p.m.
I don't have to wear silk pjs?
jrigglem
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 7:16 p.m.
@Jimmy, No employer should have the right to control what you do off the clock. Unless they are paying you around the clock, they shouldn't have a right to control your dress code. Next thing you know they'll be telling you that you can only wear silk pajamas to bed.
Jimmy McNulty
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 12:34 p.m.
@JohnA2, you are delusional. Of course companies reserve the right to protect their image by enforcing a dress code. If you do not like it, there is the door. Instead of following the company's rules, do you propose to make your own up as you go?
John A2
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 2:49 a.m.
What's so sad is that he was probably desperate and had to do something to pay the bills. these huge corporations have the US literally eating from their palms. This not a free country as many think it is. As soon as we clock in we have to follow the company rules., so CEO's are kings and we merely peasants. This is some type of anarchy, and I want the same rights as an employee as I do a citizen. A friend of mine works at a place where he can't ware shorts in public whether he's at home or work because it's bad for the company image.
AfterDark
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 2:09 a.m.
Most embezzlers are first time offenders and have been employed for some time before they start embezzling.
lynel
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 1:59 a.m.
Embezzlement happens when a thief is employed.
AfterDark
Wed, Jun 8, 2011 : 1:48 a.m.
Embezzlement is more likely to happen when people are underpaid and resentful toward management.