'Ninja' Inspired By TV Caught After Stealing $30,000 In Merch From Nordstrom

By Anna Deem in News on Oct 2, 2010 7:00PM

Carlo Settecase, 21, who worked as a switchboard operator at the Nordstrom's in the Westfield Old Orchard mall, was arrested in a "ninja-like outfit" after stealing $30,000 worth of merchandise from his employer and attempting to sell it on eBay. On the night of September 5, Settecase reportedly slept under his desk at the store, put on an all-black outfit, and went on his criminal "shopping" spree.

"It was just all black and stuff," Skokie police officer Tammy Jacobsen told the TribLocal. "Other than to mask his identity I don't know what his reasoning was behind that." According to the Sun-Times Media Wire via The Huffington Post, Settecase's plan started to unravel the next day:

"...[A] cleaning crew found Settecase sleeping under his desk about 2 a.m. on Sept. 6. He explained he worked there and had nowhere else to stay. He told the same story to another employee who found him under the desk around 8 a.m. But when an 'alert' employee noticed several items missing from the store, Skokie police were called. Management told police about Settecase being in the store overnight, and under questioning, he admitted his crime, Jacobsen said."

According to the UPI, Settecase's motivation behind his crime was inspired by TV shows like The Sopranos, Dexter, and Breaking Bad where the characters routinely evade police capture. He was due in court on Friday, October 1 in Skokie.