Modified Tactical Vest Used in Best Buy Retail Theft, Police Say

Maybe this is how retail theft goes down in New York.

A 28-year-old man whose last known address is from Brooklyn was charged with felony retail theft in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on March 1, after trying to conceal nearly a dozen fitbit devices – electronic gadgets used to track an individual’s weight, activity and sleep habits.

But it’s how Maciek Kowalski tried to conceal the devices, valued at $100 each, that was unique.

According to the criminal complaint, Kowalski, who entered the store wearing a shirt and tie, was wearing a 5.11 brand tactical vest that he had modified so that the entire area between the interior and exterior of the lining of the vest could be used as a pocket to store 11 fitbits.

He was spotted by store security and subsequently arrested by the Greenfield Police Department. According to Greenfield Police Chief Brad Wentlandt, Kowalski was deported by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in 2009 and was in the country illegally.

If convicted, Kowalski faces a maximum of 3 ½ years of imprisonment and $10,000 in fines.