Best Buy employee says ‘hacker group’ blackmailed him into theft ring scheme
By Lydia Blackstone, Graham Cawthon
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SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — A 20-year-old Best Buy employee is jailed in Savannah after police said he helped a group of suspected shoplifters walk out of the store with more than $40,000 in merchandise, claiming he was pressured by online blackmail threats.
Dorian Allen is charged with theft by taking, according to a Savannah Police Department report obtained by WJCL-TV. Investigators said the losses were tied to repeated thefts at the Best Buy on Abercorn Street.
Allen told officers he was targeted by what he described as a “hacker group” and received emails identifying shoppers he was instructed to let leave without paying, the report said. He claimed the senders threatened to release nude photos of him online if he did not comply. Police said Allen could not provide names, email addresses or physical descriptions of the people he said were blackmailing him.
The investigation gained momentum after Chatham County Sheriff Richard Coleman publicly called out a group of alleged shoplifters on Jan. 16 and urged suspects to surrender. Savannah police later posted photos of suspects accused of stealing from the store.
Authorities said the stolen items ranged from small goods to $700 PlayStation consoles. Police said three other people connected to the thefts have turned themselves in.
Coleman condemned the thefts in an interview with WJCL, saying, “That kind of behavior will not be tolerated in Chatham County.”
Best Buy did not respond to a request for comment. Police said additional suspects may be identified as the investigation continues.
Initial report:
New details have come to light following an investigation into a large-scale theft ring targeting a Savannah Best Buy store.
A Best Buy employee is accused of letting customers walk out with more than $40,000 in unpaid merchandise in a scheme the worker told police was driven by online blackmail, according to a Savannah Police Department report.
Police were called at about 3:46 p.m. Dec. 26 to the Best Buy at 7929 Abercorn St. after store managers and asset protection detained an employee for questioning about a series of thefts, the report said. Management told an officer the employee had been allowing patrons to leave without paying from early December through as recently as Dec. 22.
The suspect was identified in the report as Dorian Allen, 20, of Savannah. The report lists the offense as theft by deception and describes the case as an employee theft investigation.
Store officials said the activity was captured on video and provided police with an itemized list of stolen goods. The list includes video game consoles and bundles, virtual reality headsets, headphones, computers and accessories, televisions and other items, along with some low-cost snacks and drinks. The report totals the loss at $40,734.19 and describes “143 products via POS manipulation.”
After being advised of his Miranda rights, Allen agreed to speak with the officer, the report said. Allen told police he was being blackmailed by a “hacker group” and claimed he received emails directing him to let specific people leave with merchandise without paying, including descriptions of what they would be wearing, according to the report.
Allen told police he believed the blackmail involved photos of himself he posted on Instagram, the report said. He also told police an older Black woman approached him at his register around Dec. 7 or Dec. 8 and said he helped some people load unpaid merchandise into a vehicle he described as a black Hyundai, according to the report. He could not provide the group’s name, his email address or descriptions of the individuals involved, police said.
A financial crimes detective was expected to follow up, and the store was sent an Axon Capture link to upload video evidence, the report said. Allen was escorted off the property without incident, and the officer’s body-worn camera was activated, according to the report.
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