Nordstrom employee charged in theft of $30,000 in store merchandise

A Skokie man has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing nearly $30,000 worth of merchandise at Nordstrom's Westfield Old Orchard department store, Skokie police confirmed.

Carlo Frank Settecase, 21, of the 9400 block of Leamington Court, was charged with one count of theft Friday for taking the items from his employer, said Ofc. Joe Marzigliano of the Skokie Police Department.

Marzigliano said Settecase, a switchboard operator at Nordstrom's, would work for the day, leave, then come back to the store prior to closing and hide under his desk while security would lock up the building at night.

Marzigliano said, after Settecase deemed it safe, he would come out of hiding and walk through the store, collecting items in mail bins.

Marzigliano said Settecase would store the items in a bag near an exit inside the store, then leave the building. He would return to work the next day, then take the merchandise with him when he left his job for the evening.

After items turned up missing, Nordstrom security officials reviewed video tape and online auction websites, Marzigliano said, where some of the stolen merchandise turned up under an account traced to Settecase.

"There have been media reports that he dressed up like a ninja or something," Marzigliano said. "However, he didn't. He wore dark clothes, gloves and a ski mask to avoid being identified."

Marzigliano said Settecase admitted to the theft after being confronted with the security footage. Police recovered between $29,000 and $30,000 worth of stolen merchandise.

"He told investigators that he saw similar crimes on television and that they always got away with it," Marzigliano said.

Settecase is due in court on Friday to answer the charges against him.