Police are urging TV buyers to be wary of deals “too good to be true”, with 250 Soniq TVs still missing after a burglary in Sydney’s south-west a fortnight ago.
A total of 451 Soniq TVs were stolen from a business in Prestons between 13 and 14 March, with police arresting two men and seizing 201 of the TVs along with other stolen goods, including cold and flu tablets, on 22 March.
The remaining TVs, which include 194 55-inch E12A Smart TVs and 56 23-inch Z12A LED TVs, are still unaccounted for.
The Soniq brand is only sold through JB Hi-Fi and directly through Soniq’s website. This means that if any brand new Soniq TVs are offered for sale privately or through another chain, they are likely stolen. Police are telling consumers to be especially wary of online sales on websites like eBay and Gumtree.
The 55-inch Soniq E12A has a recommended retail price of $998 at JB Hi-Fi and the manufacturer’s website, while the 23-inch Z12A is $199 and is only available directly from Soniq.
In a statement, the commander of NSW Police’s Property Crime Squad, Detective Superintendent Greig Newbery, said that knowingly buying a TV that was stolen could lead to criminal charges.
“Consumers should always make efforts to check the origin or history of products they buy online. If a product you have purchased is found to be stolen, police will seize it and you will have lost both your money and the item.
“Further, those who buy stolen goods could face criminal charges.”
