Subject: [NEXTEL-1] 150 Nextel cell phones stolen

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 07 Dec 2002 15:59:38 -0500

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/12072002/news/1939.htm

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Portsmouth, NH     Saturday, December 7, 2002

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Tech goods swiped

By Michelle Firmbach

[email-masked]

PORTSMOUTH - An estimated $44,000 in merchandise was taken in an overnight burglary at the All Wireless store located on Woodbury Avenue.

Det. Sgt. Mike Ronchi said police are investigating the Thursday night burglary in which intruders stole 150 Nextel cell phones, 30 of which were active customer phones in for service.

Thieves ransacked the store, spilling trash on the floor and using the garbage bins to haul the cell phones out the back door. The burglars left behind a message inscribed on a white board that read, "Thank You a--h----."

"It’s a gut-wrenching feeling," said the store owner, Erik Eames, 42, of West Newbury, Mass. "When I got the call from my operations manager, I imagined the worst-case scenario. Luckily, when I arrived and looked at the place I realized I could rebuild the business very quickly."

The burglary occurred at a time when the inventory was teeming, and three days before a Nextel holiday phone sale is scheduled to begin. The store recently celebrated its first anniversary.

Two laptop computers were also snatched from the store’s offices, as was $500 in cash, contained in the counter drawer, including deposits that had yet to be made.

Hundreds of AT&T cell phones contained in the same storage area as the other phones were left behind. Four sales award plaques were ripped off the wall and three were taken.

"The incident is presently being investigated by the bureau of investigative services," Ronchi said. "We will follow up all leads that we have."

The store’s operations manager Bernie Boutin and retail manager Shelbi Mayer arrived at 8:45 Friday morning to find the store in shambles. The burglars apparently gained entry through the rear door by spreading the door frame to open the dead bolt.

"I feel fortunate that no one got hurt," Eames said. "The merchandise can be replaced."

The items will be restocked and the store will immediately reopen for business. The sale, which begins Sunday, will go on as planned.

"I don’t think it will have negative impact on long-term sales," Eames said. "I think it is a short-term headache. We have a good team."

Ronchi said burglaries at cell phone stores are no more prevalent than any other business. Asked why the thieves would steal only Nextel phones, Ronchi said, "That’s a good question. Nextel is a popular item now."

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