Fifty-Year-Old Accused of Commercial Theft: Former Employee Allegedly Stole Nearly 1,900 Pairs of Skis from His Company

Ski industry in turmoil after man stole 1,900 pairs of defective skis (illustration image). Unsplash illustration – Anne Nygård

A former employee of the Atomic company – ski manufacturer – has been arrested and charged with ski theft. He allegedly stole nearly 1,900 pairs of skis.

Relayed by Ski Chrono, magazine of the  Dauphiné Libéré, a 57-year-old man who worked at Atomic's Altenmarkt, Austria, factory, is accused of stealing pairs of skis from the company for personal use and then reselling them.

50 euros per pair

Authorities said the thief was originally tasked with ridding the company of skis that were faulty or had minor defects. However, the man preferred to embezzle them, explains Snow Industry New.

Once the skis were in his possession, the crook sold the pairs for 50 euros. According to investigators, the thefts were planned and the fifty-year-old had an accomplice.

During a search of the suspect's home, 300 pairs of skis were discovered. This put investigators on the trail of a vast network of buyers of illicit goods.

Three years in prison

The Atomic company has launched a complete review of its inventory and security protocols following the accusation against their former employee.

Since then, the ski industry has been shaken by the scale of the affair and the general concern about the safety of the products. The accused, meanwhile, is charged with commercial theft and faces up to three years in prison.