Authorities arrested a Glendora Walmart employee in late January after he was accused of stealing about $10,000 worth of electronics when fellow workers discovered the thefts.
Jeff Kurokouchi a 30-year-old from West Covina, was arrested by detectives without incident in his home Jan. 22, one day after employees tipped off authorities about the alleged crimes, according to Glendora Police.
The thefts reportedly began back in early December. Kurokouchi would take the items and reportedly hide them in a cardboard box, eventually removing them from the store.
After noticing various electronics missing from the store’s stockroom, Walmart loss prevention reviewed security footage and identified Kurokouchi taking items, such as iPads, iPhones, XBox and Playstation 4 consoles and some bottles of alcohol, said Detective Russell Ziino of Glendora Police.
Detectives served a search warrant at Kurokouchi’s home and took him into custody. Kurokouchi cooperated with investigators, who recovered three XBox consoles from the trunk of his car, Ziino said.
Most of the stolen items may not be recovered, though, after Kurokouchi sold those items to his friends.
“He basically said everything is gone and sold,” Ziino said.
Walmart is still conducting an inventory on exactly how much may have been stolen.
Kurokouchi was booked on suspicion of grand theft. He was additionally booked on suspicion of drug sales after detectives also found evidence that narcotics transactions had taken place, Ziino said.
Kurokouchi has already been arraigned and is scheduled for a pre-preliminary hearing in the West Covina Courthouse Feb. 9.
