RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Three suspects were arrested in a large-scale theft ring that targeted UPS shipments of high-value electronics in Palm Beach County.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, UPS employees at the Riviera Beach distribution hub stole more than $500,000 worth of iPhones, tablets and accessories by interfering with shipments meant for local T-Mobile stores.
The investigation began on Oct. 31 when T-Mobile and UPS representatives contacted the sheriff's office. T-Mobile said they first started reporting "substantial losses" in July.
Investigators said T-Mobile and UPS placed GPS tracking devices inside decoy packages, leading them to the stolen goods and catching who was responsible.
The sheriff's office said they discovered 16 thefts of T-Mobile packages from a UPS hub in Riviera Beach.
"The investigation identified a fencing operation using a recording studio and cellphone repair shop, GoalMind Studios in Lantana, as a front for selling the stolen property," the sheriff's office said in a statement.
Surveillance footage recorded UPS driver Sheldon Brown, 38, handing off packages to Giffton White, 36, a UPS supervisor. Another suspect, Christopher Palmer, 36, was later found using one of the stolen iPhones.
Detective said the UPS workers created fake tracking numbers to cover up the thefts.
The sheriff's office conducted surveillance, obtained video evidence and used license plate trackers to arrest Brown, White and Palmer.
The judge overseeing the suspects' first appearance in court Wednesday noted the "systematic nature" of the case and called it a "crime against humanity" to steal from an employer.
All of the suspects face felony charges, including conspiracy to commit racketeering, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.
During the execution of a search warrant at GoalMind Studios, detectives said they recovered stolen property. They said the owner of the business remains at large.
The sheriff's office said their investigation is ongoing.
