Macy's employee arrested for selling stolen furniture
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, February 17, 2003
Roseville, Calif. — At least one person has turned a profit selling furniture on the Net. Only one problem: It wasn't his furniture.
The Sacramento Bee newspaper reported last week on the case of Charles A. Hughes III, formerly a loading dock manager for Macy's Furniture in the Galleria here and a man who allegedly sold furniture and lamps on eBay under the ID "Black Leo."
Black Leo routinely sold items far below retail value, according to local police, which led to a sting operation designed to catch him. After arresting Hughes, police told the Bee the man had been stealing furniture from Macy's dock and selling it via the online auction house.
The sting operation had police officers posing as winning eBay bidders meeting Hughes to pick up the items. A subsequent search of Hughes' house turned up $30,000 in stolen furniture, according to the Bee's report.
Using eBay's records, police say they tracked approximately 36 items Hughes sold via eBay for an aggregate total less than one-fourth their retail value.
