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Watch: Influencer leaves new laptop unattended in NYC, it gets stolen in about 5 minutes

Influencer Sam Beres, better known as Sambucha, conducted a social experiment where he left his brand-new laptop unattended in NYC.

Published on: Dec 2, 2025, 06:52:04 IST
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An American influencer ran a social experiment to see how quickly his laptop would be stolen in New York City, and the results surprised many. In his video, someone takes the laptop just five minutes after the experiment begins.

Influencer Sam Beres’ laptop was left unattended in NYC. (Instagram/@sambucha)
Influencer Sam Beres’ laptop was left unattended in NYC. (Instagram/@sambucha)

“How Long Does It Take For Somebody To Steal Your Laptop In NYC?” Sam Beres wrote and shared a video. It shows him leaving a laptop in a busy area in NYC.

Also Read: NYC influencer’s sneaky celebrity spotting in the Hamptons gets 7 million views

Initially, no one pays any attention to the laptop. After a few minutes, people start staring at it. As per a timer set by Beres, an individual finally sits beside the device and eventually takes it away.

Take a look at the video:

How did social media react?

The video of the social experiment prompted a series of responses from people. While some discussed the city's crime rate, others took a more humorous approach in their responses. A few, however, argued that the person could have taken it to find out more about the owner and return the device.

Also Read: Influencer flies to New York, takes 1,600-mile round trip, just to eat a sandwich

An individual posted, “The engineer needed the laptop for work, so he borrowed it.” Another added, “He probably took it home to see if he could find the rightful owner. One time, a brand-new iPad was delivered to my house, but it was intended for the previous person who had lived in my apartment. Searched up his name on Google and found him indeed. I was able to get it back to him since it was a birthday present for his daughter. You never know, man.”

A third expressed, “Bro didn’t even call him out for stealing his laptop.” A fourth wrote, “I’d have taken it and dropped it off with the police, so before you’re all judgy judgy, check to see if it was turned in.

Who is Sam Beres?

Better known to his fans as Sambucha, Beres, according to his LinkedIn profile, completed his bachelor’s degree in finance from the NYU Stern School of Business. For over three years, he worked as an analyst at Barclays before launching his YouTube channel in 2021. In addition to YouTube, he also posts his videos on Instagram and Facebook.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More