A shoplifter who snatched a haul of cosmetics in an Estonian department store left security scratching their heads, until they found the ill-gotten gains stashed in his wooden leg, officials said on Tuesday.
A limping customer, whom security staff said they recognised as a seasoned thief, entered the shop in the Estonian capital, Tallinn, the Falck security company said.
“The security staff member followed the experienced shoplifter through a surveillance camera and saw him entering a changing booth with a lot of cosmetic goods in his shopping basket,” said Katrin Paas, spokesperson for Falck. “He then left the changing room, but with an empty basket.”
When security guards stopped the man for a check at the door, they eventually found women’s beauty products worth 885 kroons ($73) hidden in a hole carved in his wooden leg.
They then turned the man over to police.
The man, identified only by the first name of Ruslan, has a record for shoplifting, but it was not known whether he had used the same tool.
“The thief has not been caught misusing his wooden leg before,” Paas said. “His earlier thefts have been much more commonplace.”
Security had to go to great lengths to find out where the man had hidden the stolen goods.
“It was clearly seen via the camera that the cosmetic goods must be on him but an ordinary security check did not produce results,” Paas said. “It was only after some convincing that the man agreed to dismantle his artificial limb.” — AFP