What Was DVD Thief Doing in Best Buy Bathroom?

When a man tried to steal some DVDs from the Best Buy store in Fox Point, his scheme to take them out of the packaging in the bathroom didn't quite pan out — and neither did the excuse he gave the cops.

The security team at called for a theft in progress around 3 p.m. Oct. 18. Store security told officers the man had taken multiple DVDs from the shelf and went into the bathroom with them — however, he hadn't left the bathroom just yet.

Officers spoke with a security officer who said he first saw the suspect “in the gaming section and he was looking around as if to see if anyone was watching him.”

In his statement to police, the security officer said he continued to watch the man because he seemed suspicious, and followed him with the surveillance camera as he entered the movie section.

He watched the suspect remove several DVDs from the shelf and take them into the bathroom. Another employee then said he could hear the plastic being removed from the DVDs.

After a few minutes of watching the camera, the security officer said he saw the suspect leave the bathroom with the DVDs in hand, some of the torn cellophane still clinging to the videos. The suspect left them on a random shelf and left the area.

When why he was in the bathroom, the suspect told police that he had to use the facilities. He told officers he opened the DVDs because he wanted "to read the text on the inside."

The man attempted to steal about $95 worth of DVDs, all Blu-Ray discs:

• "Star Wars Episodes 4-6," a $44.99 value;
• "Scarface Limited Edition,"  $29.99; and
• "Star Trek," $19.99.

He was arrested for criminal damage to property. The report says the man was very cooperative and apologetic throughout the incident, and even offered to pay for the DVDs because he damaged them.