Stolen iPhone Returned After Bad Craigslist Trade

A Morris Plains man recently returned a stolen iPhone he purchased through Craigslist to the original owner.

The man told Patrol Officer George Tsimpedes last Friday around 5:30 p.m. that he arranged to meet a man named Chris on Tabor Road to trade Apple products. He met Chris through Craigslist and scheduled a time and place to meet. Chris arrived with an iPhone 5 to trade with the Morris Plains man’s Apple Mac Pro 17’-inch computer, police said.

After the trade, the Morris Plains man “tried to activate the phone at an Apple store, at which time he was alerted to the fact that the phone was stolen,” so he “took it upon himself to contact the number on the phone where he spoke with the original owner from Newark, who confirmed that her phone was stolen,” according to a release from Officer Remo D’Alessandro, community relations officer.

Police said he returned the phone to its owner. The thief, Chris, is described as having a dark complexion, allegedly residing in Clifton, operating a red vehicle, which also had a female passenger.

Anyone with information should contact Parsippany Police at 973-263-4317 or Crime_tips@parpolice.com