Pair accused of using stolen IDs to purchase iPhones across the country
Two men were arrested on suspicion of identity and grand theft in Glendale late last month after police say they allegedly tried to use stolen information to purchase iPhones at Apple stores.
Starly Santil and Joshua Ramos, both 21, were arrested by the Glendale Police Department on Feb. 26 after trying to buy phones at the Apple stores in the Glendale Galleria and the Americana at Brand. Authorities say they were first alerted to the pair by an employee at the Americana store who told them the pair had recently pulled the scam at a store in Pasadena.
Sgt. Dan Suttles, a department spokesman, said officers decided to monitor the Glendale stores in cases the men showed up.
Ramos, a New Jersey native, appeared at the Americana store around 4 p.m. while Santil, a Florida resident, entered the Galleria location at around 6:30 p.m. Both were detained by police.
A search of the vehicle the two traveled in contained several iPhones that were purchased out of state. Suttles said the phones were from stores in Florida, Georgia and Arizona.
Suttles added there was evidence showing the men were shipping the phones to somewhere in Florida.
When the men were taken into custody Suttles said they claimed to have arrived in California the day before and were out sightseeing and shopping. However, receipts found in the vehicle showed the two had been in the state for several days.
In addition to the phones, Suttles said police are looking into how the men obtained the personal information as some of the names they allegedly used were of people living in the Midwest.
Two other people who were travelling with Santil and Ramos were briefly detained.
Twitter: @Andy_Truc
