Temp Steals $100k of Stuff from Zynga

[Greg Tito]

Temp Steals $100k of Stuff from Zynga

Nabbing laptops is one quick way to never work in the game industry again.

So you finally got that cushy job at a prominent social games company about to have an IPO worth a billion dollars. Sure, it's just a temporary position, but if you work hard and keep your nose clean, this job at Zynga could turn into something special. Hell, it's nice to have a job in this market, cause it sure ain't cheap to live in San Francisco. Yep, life is good. Wait, what's this laptop here? It looks like that could fit right in your bag. Yoink! Aww, who called the cops?

That's the scenario that went through 21-year-old Keith Brown's head when he was apprehended by Zynga's security guards and handed over to the San Francisco police two days ago. Brown had been observed through video surveillance cameras stealing laptops, software, and desktop computers valued at more than $100,000 since he was hired on Oct. 31. He is currently in custody and was arraigned in San Francisco Superior Court on four felony counts of commercial burglary, grand theft, and embezzlement.

"At this point, he's the only Zynga employee arrested for doing this," the San Francisco District Attorney's Office spokesman Omid Talai said.

It doesn't seem like Brown was very good at hiding his underhanded activities. Unlike Zynga [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/103367-Zynga-Seems-More-Sinister-Than-You-Might-Expect]. Hey-O!

Source: San Francisco Examiner [http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/crime/2011/11/zynga-temp-worker-accused-stealing-100k-san-francisco-company#ixzz1dyYIZ7I8]

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[Ne1butme]

All that in less than a month? Wow, he must have started stealing on day one.

 

[Jameseh]

Steal pens, nothing more.

 

[Idocreating]

Oh wow.

Possible kleptomania?

Also, I am not certain that I like how this was reported on. Not by you, Escapist. But just in general. I believe in punishing criminals but this will humiliate the man and ensure that he not only never gets a job in the games industry ever again, but also ensures that he will never get a job ever again.

I know a few convicted felons who have a difficult time finding work because they were in jail at one point. This will only make it harder.

True, but it's the scale of what he's done that's got the attention. If it was just a laptop or two we wouldn't have a story here.

When you decide to nick 100k worth of stuff, you should be aware your fucking your life up if you get caught.

 

[Tartarga]

What would he have even done with those laptops? I'm assuming he'd try and sell them or the information on them, or maybe he wanted to try and start his own cow clicking simulator and make millions of dollars.

 

[TheLastSamurai14]

Steal pens, nothing more.

What do you think this is? The Elder Scrolls?

...Start stealing the brooms from their janitors closets, man.

 

[therandombear]

Next Zynga game, Kleptoville, or Officeville.

Steal computers and other office materials while dodging security cameras and guards. Then getting it out on the black market. Rince and repeat.

 

[anian]

There's an internship open in Zynga? Sign me up.
Not only am I proficient in 3d and 2d software, but I can't be that much worse than the guy before me.

 

[Xanthious]

If he was smart he would of taken a cue from the latest Elder Scrolls game and put buckets over everyone's head first THEN started stealing things. . . . .

 

[billyboy0321]

Wow, people like this make me question what we're becoming... with a nice job, or at least a JOB, stealing this kind of stuff?

I've nicked my share of pens and paper clips, but I think I've only hit a few bucks MAX... to hit 100 thousand dollars worth? How many laptops IS that? Not to mention how many Zynga games he'd have to have taken to constitute that much in software.

Not the brightest...

 

[Sixties Spidey]

Well, at this point it's just stealing from crooks.

 

[Formica Archonis]

stealing laptops, software, and desktop computers

Wait, wait, wait. DESKTOP COMPUTERS? How do you steal a desktop computer and not expect to get caught? I know they were probably cheapie slim Dells or something but still. Did he just unplug someone's PC and stuff it in his pants and hope no one would notice either the missing PC or the suspicious bulge?

I could see a SINGLE laptop being "misplaced" and the thief would have a reasonable chance to get away with it. But you can't exactly forget where you left your desktop computer. As soon as its gone, it LOOKS stolen, and there's no guessing its last location - just pull up that security camera and fast-forward if the PC is there, rewind if it isn't.

 

[McMullen]

Oh wow.

Possible kleptomania?

Also, I am not certain that I like how this was reported on. Not by you, Escapist. But just in general. I believe in punishing criminals but this will humiliate the man and ensure that he not only never gets a job in the games industry ever again, but also ensures that he will never get a job ever again.

I know a few convicted felons who have a difficult time finding work because they were in jail at one point. This will only make it harder.

Then he should have thought about that before stealing a bunch of stuff. It's really not that hard to not be a thief, you know. I see nothing wrong with this guy's douchebaggery being known to the world. He fucked up, and now he gets to deal with the consequences. If he doesn't like them, he shouldn't have been a thief.

 

[The Random One]

He would have stolen more, but he could only steal one laptop every sixteen hours.

 

[ThunderCavalier]

He would have stolen more, but he could only steal one laptop every sixteen hours.

Anything I was going to say, as well as anything said, and anything that will have been said, has just been overridden.

You, sir, are made of win.

 

[Strazdas]

peoples nature dont change. only the environment.