TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Laptop Computer Thief Makes Plea Deal

ADVERTISEMENT

By ELAINE SILVESTRINI | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 18, 2008

Updated: 06/18/2008 05:46 pm

TAMPA - A man who stole scores of laptop computers across the country then sold them on eBay pleaded guilty today to interstate transportation of stolen property.

Eric Brandon Almly, 34, was arrested in 2007 by Tampa police after he stole 11 portable computers from Outback Steakhouse corporate headquarters.

Almly, according to the plea agreement, began stealing laptops as early as October 2004, when he took eight from Callaway Golf of Carlsbad, Calif.

From then until March 2007, he stole more than 80 laptops from companies – including Burger King – in Carlsbad, San Diego, Miami and Tampa.

Using about two dozen aliases, he sold the stolen laptops to people in California, Colorado, Arizona, Florida, Texas and Wisconsin.

Almly, Tampa police say, looked as though he fit in when he took the computers from the Outback offices on March 27, 2007. He wore khaki pants and a polo shirt. He was cleanshaven and well-spoken.

As he walked through the headquarters, he never stayed in one area long enough to arouse suspicion.

He blended in so well, police said, that he managed to stuff 11 laptops into a black duffel bag, get past a security guard and drive away.

Police were tipped off that the computers were being sold on eBay, an online auction site. That information led to Almly, 33, who was arrested at his home in Miami Beach.

Inside Almly's apartment, police said, they found three of the 11 computers stolen from Outback. Four had been sold on eBay, and the remaining four have not been found, Tampa Police Department Detective Larry Brass said.

The plea agreement calls for a maximum sentence of 10 years, a fine of up to $302,000 and a term of supervised release of three years.

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT