RHODE ISLAND COMPUTER THIEVES WHO STOLE 24 COMPUTERS FROM AMGEN CAUGHTThe Coventry Courier - News - 06/10/2005 - BUSTED! Five suspects netted in computer theft schemeWEST GREENWICH - West Greenwich Police made four arrests Wednesday during a sting operation that followed a near four-month investigation of laptop thefts at Amgen, Inc.A fifth suspect was arrested later in the day on Wednesday.


The suspects were alleged to have orchestrated the theft of 24 laptops, totaling approximately $36,000, from the West Greenwich biotech facility.

Lt. Marc Di Salvo, who has headed the department's investigation since April, said the arrests were made possible through the joint efforts of the West Greenwich Police Department, Amgen Security, and SBM Cleaning Co., the service for which all the suspects worked.

AMGEN sub-contracts with SBM for their cleaning needs nationwide.

Each of the suspects were arraigned Wednesday as follows:

Radolfo Davis, 22, of Providence, charged with: one count of aiding and abetting a larceny over $500, two counts of larceny over $500, and breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny
Rafeal Feliz, 22, of Providence, charged with: one count of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny
William Feliz, 25, of Providence, charged with: one count of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny, and two counts of larceny over $500
Pedro Pichardo, 22, of Providence, charged with: one count of breaking and entering with intent to commit larceny
Joseph Jennette, 31, of Woonsocket, was apprehended Wednesday evening, after police issued an arrest warrant. He was charged with one count of aiding and abetting to commit larceny over $500. Police said that he may face an additional count at his screening.

The lieutenant said the investigation is still ongoing and more charges could be brought against the defendants at a later time.

"None of the suspects had prior records and they did cooperate," said Di Salvo. "Their stories corroborated with each other and with information we had already obtained through other sources."

DiSalvo said that Jennette was the only suspect who was not cooperative.

Four West Greenwich police officers and three Coventry police officers participated in Wednesday's sting, which was executed at the Hampton Inn in Coventry.

SBM frequently uses the Inn for training sessions and the suspects were led to believe they were attending a routine training exercise.

"The operation went smoothly - I think they were all shocked," said Di Salvo.

The lieutenant stated that Jennette, the fifth suspect, was not present because he was in the process of seeking other employment.

Di Salvo gave credit to AMGEN security for their role in Wednesday's arrests.

"AMGEN security captured the suspects on video surveillance and helped to identify them, as did SBM," he said. "We matched them up with at least 18 of the 24 stolen laptops."
But Di Salvo said the case is not closed.

"We put to bed three of the 18 incidents but there will be more to follow."

None of the computers were recovered. The suspects reportedly sold them as they stole them.

Officials from SBM and Amgen were not available for comment by the newspaper's deadline.