TEXAS COMPUTERS STOLEN FROM DELL OFFICES BY EMPLOYEE Man accused of stealing laptops from Dell:

Listen to Audio:

Man accused of stealing laptops from Dell
Man said he needed the money after a divorce.

By Isadora Vail
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, March 08, 2007

An Austin man has been charged with stealing computers from a Dell Inc. office in Round Rock and told police that he needed the money after a recent divorce, according to court documents.

Robert White, 38, told police that he stole 18 to 24 laptops, valued at about $48,000, from the Dell office on Parmer Lane, according to an arrest affidavit.

In the affidavit, White said he would follow employees who used company badges to enter the building. He said he would go around lunchtime and search for unattended laptops.

White first entered the office in December, according to the affidavit, but was not caught until February, after Dell notified Round Rock police of the thefts and identified him on a surveillance video.

On Feb. 26, Dell security identified the suspect and called police with White's license plate number, police spokesman Eric Poteet said. White was tracked to his East Austin apartment, where he was arrested that day, Poteet said.

White faces two to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine for the charge of theft of more than $20,000 but less than $100,000, a third-degree felony. White was released from the Williamson County Jail on Wednesday after posting $15,000 bail.

According to Round Rock police, the laptops were found at a computer business on North Lamar Boulevard in Austin.

Dell confirmed that White was not an employee but did not comment on the charge against him.

ivail@statesman.com; 246-0053