John Lewis Worker Caught Pocketing Nearly £46k Worth of Tech
Lai Uong, a trusted John Lewis employee at Bluewater for over 17 years, has been jailed for nearly three years after stealing thousands of pounds worth of stock from the store.
High-End Gadgets Vanish from Stockroom
The 47-year-old from Gravesend targeted expensive tech, including Apple, Windows, and Samsung products. Between October 2017 and June 2018, laptops, wearable devices, and mobiles mysteriously disappeared from the stockroom.
Police Snare Uong with Stolen Apple Goods
The internal probe took a break when investigators spotted Apple AirPods for sale on a website linked to Uong. A quick check confirmed the AirPods were stolen John Lewis stock.
Police raided Uong’s home and uncovered £33,799 worth of Apple products, all lifted from the store. Further digging revealed more than £24,000 of electrical goods sold online, including items confirmed by buyers to be stolen John Lewis stock. The total haul hit £45,598 in retail value.
Jail Time and Fines for the Shoplifter
On Monday 20 June 2022, Woolwich Crown Court sentenced Uong to two years and eight months behind bars. He was also fined £170 and faced a Proceeds of Crime application.
“After a long and protracted investigation, I am pleased with the outcome achieved from the courts,” said investigating officer Jacqueline Brown of the Bluewater Police Team. “This demonstrates our willingness to get the best possible outcome for the victims and hold offenders accountable for their actions.”
Uong betrayed his employer’s trust, lost his job, and now faces prison for handling stolen goods.
