Man accused of stealing hundreds of iPhones back in custody

Stephen Withers
Monday, 26 May 2008 05:29

Your IT - Mobility

A couple of months ago we mentioned two Rockinham Park Apple Store employees had been charged with stealing over 300 iPhones. One of them skipped town, but is now back in custody.

According to The Eagle Tribune, Josh Garrard surrendered to police after opposing for nearly two months attempts to extradite him from Massachusetts.

The initial story saw Joshua Garrand and Christopher Nashed allegedly steal 332 iPhones worth over $US130,000 from the Apple Store at the Rockingham Park Mall - and we finally have an update!

While we don't know the period over which the thefts occurred, the alleged thefts averaged out at around one a day since the iPhone was launched. Salem police began investigating in early January after being called in by store management.

Now, the story has come alive again after Joshua Garrard fronted up at the Salem police station on Wednesday and the AP reported he was being held at Rockingham Country Jail. Co-accused Christopher Nashed remains on bail.

The theft was discovered following an audit, and that security footage shows Garrard and Nashed taking the boxes from the store and handing them to the buyer at another location, The Eagle Tribune reported.

According to an affidavit, the buyer paid more than $US20 per unit over the retail price of the iPhone. Given the fact that iPhones have practically been worth their weight in gold and a pseudo-currency over the past few months since the initial launch, $20 per phone would have been a small premium to pay for iPhones selling at twice the price on eBay and elsewhere around the world.

So, why was Apple management asleep at the wheel when iPhones were going out the door? Please read on to page 2.