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PD: Suspect in nationwide iPhone scam caught in Gilbert

PD: Suspect in nationwide iPhone scam caught in Gilbert
Posted at 12:57 PM, May 25, 2017
and last updated 2017-05-25 16:20:26-04

A Detroit man who came to the Valley to steal iPhones was arrested in Gilbert. 

Gilbert police report that an alert Apple associate tracked down a Detroit man who used fake AT&T accounts to purchase eight Apple iPhones from three Valley Apple stores. 

On May 19 police say 26-year-old Anthony Jackson went to the Apple Store near 24th Street and Camelback Road and used a stolen AT&T account to finance two iPhone 7's. He later went to the Apple Store at the Arrowhead Mall where he used a similar scheme to buy four more iPhones, according to police.

Police say the next day Jackson went to the Apple Store at Chandler Fashion Square to get more phones but was interrupted during the transaction and left before getting the phones. However, an Apple Loss Prevention Associate heard what was going on and realized this was part of a, "nationwide series of fraud."

The associate contacted the real account holder who confirmed she was a victim of identity theft and Jackson had no authority to purchase phones using her account. The associate followed Jackson to the Apple Store in Gilbert near the Loop 202 and Williams Field Road, where he again bought two more phones. 

The associate continued to follow Jackson until Gilbert police stopped him. Police say they found eight iPhones in the vehicle.

Jackson reportedly explained to police that he is part of "larger scam" where people are paid by a "boss" to travel from town to town and use fraudulent identities to purchase phones. Jackson allegedly admitted that he had done this in four states and  "the boss" pays for his travel expenses. He expected to make about $1,200 for the eight phones worth nearly $8,000.

So far Jackson has been charged with fraudulent schemes, but other charges of identity theft are expected.