Apple Store Employee Secretly Stole 19 iPhones — Then Got Caught

Added: 2026-06-01

[00:00:00]On August 19th, 2025, detectives from the Bloomingdale Police Department in Bloomingdale responded to a T-Mobile retail store following allegations of internal employee theft. But, the body camera footage recorded that morning reveals far more than a routine workplace investigation. The encounter raises three significant constitutional questions under both federal and Illinois law, including whether the officers exceeded the lawful scope of their investigation, whether the employee's fourth and fifth amendment protections were respected during police questioning and searches, and whether the conduct captured on video reflects potential violations of due process and state privacy safeguards.

[00:00:37]>> [music] >> Viewed through the lens of constitutional policing standards, the recording presents a compelling case study in the limits of police authority during workplace-related criminal investigations.

[00:00:49]>> Yeah, could you I mean, you're obviously familiar with it. Can you just run me through a quick brief? I have the report. Um, but just so we have our ducks in a row.

[00:00:57]>> Yeah, um, so throughout the whole day, she's actually been taking stuff for the last couple weeks.

[00:01:03]>> Okay.

[00:01:04]>> Total of 19 phones and one Apple Watch.

[00:01:07]So, total of 20 devices.

[00:01:08]>> Okay.

[00:01:09]>> Which is crazy.

[00:01:10]>> Yeah.

[00:01:11]>> Um.

[00:01:12]>> It's pretty significant. So, total's like what, $20,000?

[00:01:15]>> Yeah.

[00:01:15]>> So, it's about $1,000 a piece. Okay.

[00:01:17]>> Um, takes two at a time, three at a time sometimes.

[00:01:21]And it's always when she's in the back alone.

[00:01:23]>> Okay.

[00:01:24]>> Um.

[00:01:25]Pockets it. We've been able to like track it, but like haven't stopped it.

[00:01:29]Last one was I think Sunday. So, this Sunday that just passed.

[00:01:33]>> So, it's like the seventh >> shift is today 9:30. I don't know if she'll make it on time. She tends to like come in late sometimes.

[00:01:41]>> Okay.

[00:01:41]>> Nothing yet, but if she does come in late, she normally texts me like, "I'm running late."

[00:01:44]>> Yeah.

[00:01:45]>> But, >> drives?

[00:01:48]>> Um, no, she gets dropped off, though.

[00:01:51]>> In the front or the back?

[00:01:53]>> Uh, in the back.

[00:01:54]>> So, you use the back door.

[00:01:56]>> All right. Um, have you guys like been able to figure out which serial numbers and the phones and you got everything? Okay, cuz I don't know if it was given to the officer yesterday or not.

[00:02:06]>> I don't have I pulled them off but corporate office down the street would definitely have it, too.

[00:02:11]>> Okay. Yeah, we'll probably end up needing that at some point today.

[00:02:15]Um >> I think it was her name was Anna who like handles everything.

[00:02:21]>> Okay.

[00:02:22]>> But I >> That may have been who Is that Ashley?

[00:02:24]>> Yes.

[00:02:25]>> Okay.

[00:02:26]Yeah, I guess she's the one that called yesterday, so hopefully she'll get all that to us. Um what are your guys' intentions with her?

[00:02:33]>> I No comment on that. I'm assuming they're going to press charges, but I >> Okay.

[00:02:37]So then what we'll do when she comes in, we'll just we'll take her.

[00:02:41]Um we'll take her back, see if she'll interview >> Yeah.

[00:02:44]>> and then hopefully she'll give up where these phones are and we can get them back. Um that's, you know, we're just hoping. That's a hope, you know.

[00:02:53]So I don't know if you guys are going to do something on the civil aspect of it, you guys can figure that out.

[00:02:59]But yeah, we'll take her if you guys are going to sign complaints and then from there we'll try to get your phones back.

[00:03:03]>> How long has she worked here?

[00:03:04]>> Uh since June.

[00:03:07]>> June.

[00:03:07]>> End of May, early June. So it's like fresh.

[00:03:11]>> And this just started this month?

[00:03:13]>> Yes.

[00:03:14]>> Yeah.

[00:03:15]>> We normally I normally do like counts every other day just like make sure it don't break.

[00:03:19]>> We sell a lot of phones.

[00:03:21]>> Yeah.

[00:03:22]>> My job is like part of my job is to count phones. I noticed it last 2 weeks Saturday.

[00:03:33]But we have a system glitch time to time.

[00:03:35]>> Yeah.

[00:03:36]>> It doesn't ring up the phone. So I played the waiting game and then I started to see there was more phones and I was like, "Hold up."

[00:03:41]>> Yeah, this is This isn't making sense.

[00:03:43]>> When did she get the code for the safe?

[00:03:45]>> Uh after she completed training.

[00:03:49]Everyone has a code.

[00:03:50]>> Okay.

[00:03:51]It's like an Okay. As I say, individual codes for each person or >> Same code.

[00:03:56]>> But but she has permission to go into the safe with her own code.

[00:03:59]>> Yes.

[00:04:00]>> Yeah.

[00:04:01]All right.

[00:04:02]Does it lock out like that do you have to wait 10 minutes after >> a 10-minute time delay >> Okay, so that [ __ ] is legit.

[00:04:09]>> Yeah.

[00:04:10]>> I didn't know if whenever I buy a phone that's just some BS.

[00:04:12]>> Yeah, I know that.

[00:04:13]A lot of people think it is. It's literally a 10-minute safe.

[00:04:17]I'll set it now.

[00:04:20]But the left side is no timer. So this one all of our good stuff is here.

[00:04:27]Okay stuff is here. But we never normally have like one of each device.

[00:04:31]>> Mhm.

[00:04:31]>> And sometimes we have like multiple devices on this side. But for the most part she's seen taken from here.

[00:04:40]>> Just the iPhones?

[00:04:41]>> Yeah.

[00:04:42]>> All right.

[00:04:42]>> Um Samsung as well.

[00:04:44]And Apple watches.

[00:04:46]>> Okay.

[00:04:47]>> But number of devices from >> Okay.

[00:04:51]All right.

[00:04:52]Do you know if Ashley's going to be here today or not?

[00:04:54]>> She She's not.

[00:04:55]>> All right.

[00:04:55]>> I'll reach out to her. She's actually looking at the camera footage.

[00:04:58]All right. So.

[00:05:01]>> And these phones haven't been activated or nothing like that?

[00:05:03]>> Nothing. No usage on them. No, we tried I tried to see like if like maybe it was a system glitch.

[00:05:07]>> Yeah.

[00:05:07]>> But nothing. No serial numbers. Uh serial numbers are not in use.

[00:05:11]>> All right.

[00:05:12]You got a flag so like if any phone was activated at some point you get an alert or something like that or >> No.

[00:05:18]>> Do you just have to check it like >> Surely check in. Yeah.

[00:05:22]Do these safes have two different codes?

[00:05:24]>> Yes. Two different codes. But she's got access to both of them.

[00:05:27]>> Yes.

[00:05:27]>> And she's only got access to these safes and not these safes.

[00:05:31]>> Okay.

[00:05:32]So that's cash and stuff like that?

[00:05:33]>> Yeah.

[00:05:35]That's kind of easier to take. So I only have that.

[00:05:39]>> Okay.

[00:05:39]>> Makes sense.

[00:05:40]>> I was able to watch back some of those videos seeing that she was able to open >> She was taking >> Yeah.

[00:05:44]>> from both of them.

[00:05:45]>> Yeah.

[00:05:45]>> What's in this one? Like newer phones?

[00:05:47]>> Uh no, it's the exact same phones, but like I'll have like multiple quantities of phones. So, like, one iPhone here, but like I have 10 of these on this side.

[00:05:56]Right now I have nothing in the safe, but normally it's like a good double-digit quantity.

[00:06:02]>> Does anybody else go to the bank today?

[00:06:03]>> I'm sorry. Yes, yes. Um two more people, but one is going to be opening these on his way.

[00:06:09]And then one closes tonight, so Sorry, two openers, one closer. I have a new trainee.

[00:06:18]>> What's the typical like she walks in, and she like walked to somewhere to put her bag or something?

[00:06:22]>> we'll leave the bags in the chairs, um clock in, and essentially open the store, get like the store ready for the day, um move some phones over.

[00:06:32]Um but I already like do that in the morning when I get here. And then um just wait to service customers, that's it.

[00:06:39]>> Do you have a good address for her?

[00:06:42]>> I can pull them up.

[00:06:43]>> Yeah.

[00:06:45]I saw her earlier, like She was talking to her.

[00:06:48]She was driving a Lexus a little bit.

[00:06:51]>> So, this is what the right side looks like. Um empty on both rounds. I'm supposed to have like 40 phones here.

[00:06:57]>> Yeah.

[00:06:59]>> But we normally just move some over, and then as soon as we're done we just lock it back up.

[00:07:03]>> Like the [music] timing of the time.

[00:07:05]They were coming up both.

[00:07:06]>> Yes.

[00:07:06]>> Yeah.

[00:07:08]How frequent are shipments?

[00:07:09]>> Sorry?

[00:07:10]>> How frequently do you guys get shipments?

[00:07:12]>> Uh normally every single day, Monday through Friday.

[00:07:15]>> One or so.

[00:07:16]Yeah, the more you sell, the more they replenish. So, >> There's nothing like I wish we had like a catalog that I can order phones, but it's just like whatever we sell we get replenished. Yeah.

[00:07:24]>> Yeah.

[00:07:24]>> It takes maybe two or three days. We're kind of low right now, meaning that we haven't sold anything.

[00:07:29]>> Yeah.

[00:07:30]I think it's worse if she lives where we think she lives cuz it's like a 3-minute drive.

[00:07:34]>> Yeah.

[00:07:35]Yeah, it's very close.

[00:07:37]>> Yeah.

[00:07:37]>> But she's late all the time, so >> I don't know. I've heard she was.

[00:07:41][ __ ] when I'm like 30 minutes I feel like. I'm playing like >> You talking about 15?

[00:07:46]>> Like 3 hours before a flight that leaves and stuff like that.

[00:07:49]>> Yeah.

[00:08:05]>> Hi Ashley.

[00:08:06]>> Hi.

[00:08:06]>> Hi, let me check the season I'm going to put it down.

[00:08:10]This is my partner Detective Johnson.

[00:08:11]>> How do you do it?

[00:08:12]>> Do you kind of understand why we'd be here and want to speak with you?

[00:08:16]>> Do you have an ID on you by any chance?

[00:08:18]>> No, not with me.

[00:08:19]>> You don't have anything with your name on it?

[00:08:21]>> Not here.

[00:08:22]>> Okay. Um So we've kind of been informed of what's been going on regarding the cell phones. Um but at this time we are going to have to take you into custody, okay? If you could just give me your bag.

[00:08:34]And then if you could hand my partner your phone.

[00:08:37]>> Just going to hold on to that for you, okay?

[00:08:40]>> You don't have anything on you, right?

[00:08:41]No pockets?

[00:08:43]Okay.

[00:08:44]>> Can you put this in my pocket?

[00:08:49]>> Is this your store key?

[00:08:51]>> I'll take this.

[00:08:52]>> That's probably Dave.

[00:08:54]Dave, is that you?

[00:08:56]>> I'm going to get you Six like it's not before.

[00:09:04]>> Tiny wrist. Is that too tight?

[00:09:09]I'm going to lock this so it doesn't tighten up on you, okay?

[00:09:13]I'm going to give you a key in Ashley, we'd like to talk to you about it. Um we can do that at the PD.

[00:09:23]Okay. Um How long have you been working at T-Mobile?

[00:09:27]>> Um 2 weeks.

[00:09:29]>> 2 weeks?

[00:09:30]>> 2 months.

[00:09:30]>> 2 months? Okay. Did you work anywhere before that?

[00:09:35]>> Yeah, Vision wipes.

[00:09:37]>> Okay.

[00:09:39]Why do you think that we are in this situation right now?

[00:09:42]>> I would just assume that someone took it from you. That's >> Okay.

[00:09:48]So, obviously she >> The first and most consequential constitutional issue is the apparent failure to administer a Miranda warning before custodial interrogation began. In the landmark 1966 decision Miranda versus Arizona, the United States Supreme Court held that law enforcement must advise a suspect of four fundamental rights before conducting substantive questioning while the person is in custody.

[00:10:12]>> [music] >> The right to remain silent, the warning that any statement may be used against them in court, the right to an attorney, and the right to appointed counsel if they cannot afford one. The court later clarified in Berkemer v.

[00:10:25]McCarthy that custody exists whenever a reasonable person would not feel free to leave under the circumstances. Here, the combination of handcuffing the suspect, confiscating her personal belongings and store access items, and informing her that she would be transported to the police department strongly supports the conclusion that she was unquestionably in custody for Miranda purposes. The Supreme Court further expanded the definition of interrogation in Rhode Island versus Innis, holding that interrogation includes not only direct questioning, but also any words or actions reasonably likely to elicit an incriminating response. Asking a handcuffed suspect at the scene of the alleged theft why she believed officers were speaking with her plainly falls within that definition. If detectives initiated that exchange before providing the required Miranda warnings, any incriminating statements obtained thereafter would likely be deemed presumptively inadmissible under the exclusionary rule, raising substantial constitutional concerns about the legality of the investigation and the admissibility of its evidence at trial.

[00:11:26]>> Well, what was all the system phones and some other items are missing? Do you know anything about that?

[00:11:31]>> Some phones and other items?

[00:11:33]>> Mhm.

[00:11:33]>> What other items?

[00:11:35]>> Apple watch Airpods >> I don't know about the phones, I don't know about the watch.

[00:11:45]>> [music] >> Tell me about phones.

[00:11:46]>> I'm not going to sit here and lie to you and act like I don't know what's going on or what's happening.

[00:11:51]>> Yeah, I appreciate that.

[00:11:52]>> So, yeah, I do I do know about the phones that are missing. I know yeah, it's me.

[00:11:57]>> Do you know how many phones are missing?

[00:12:00]>> I don't >> No, okay.

[00:12:04]What was the reasoning for getting for taking those phones?

[00:12:09]>> The dumb reasoning is not thinking. I wasn't really thinking about >> You're just short on cash or something?

[00:12:14]Trying to pay for student loans?

[00:12:17]That's something we can understand.

[00:12:19]>> I mean pretty people can understand it, but I don't yeah, but like it wasn't the smart thinking to do.

[00:12:27]>> Okay.

[00:12:28]Um, so let's explain that.

[00:12:29]>> I was in the process of switching phones.

[00:12:32]>> No, but being forthcoming about it and obviously it's it's better for you in the long term, you know, because we can say like you know hey, she took this because she needed the money, she's short on money, you know, she's going to school full time, she's got three more years and school's not cheap. I mean it wasn't cheap when we were in school, I can't imagine what it's like right now.

[00:12:52]>> Definitely can't imagine what it is for you guys to go to school than what I'm going for.

[00:12:56]>> Yeah.

[00:12:57]So, how much do you owe on school loans?

[00:12:59]>> Um >> Chamberlain ain't cheap, I don't know about that.

[00:13:03]Is it Chamberlain ain't cheap?

[00:13:05]>> Chamberlain ain't cheap.

[00:13:07]>> [clears throat] >> Chamberlain ain't cheap.

[00:13:09]Like I think for Chamberlain, I think I have 10 left to pay them.

[00:13:13]>> That's not that bad, that's not bad.

[00:13:14]>> Yeah, that's what's left.

[00:13:17]Yeah, I've been paying that for since I started.

[00:13:22]That's why that's why I was switching cuz I was like this is way too expensive. I can't I can't constantly pay them.

[00:13:27]>> Yeah.

[00:13:29]I can get that.

[00:13:30]>> So, is that kind of why you're just short on money?

[00:13:32]>> Yeah.

[00:13:32]>> Okay. Um did somebody tell you to take the phones? Did >> Hm?

[00:13:39]>> Did you ever talk to anybody about taking the phones? Like friends, family?

[00:13:42]>> No.

[00:13:42]>> Did anybody like request you to, "Hey, can you slip me an iPhone?"

[00:13:45]>> No.

[00:13:46]>> No? Okay.

[00:13:48]What do you What did you do with those phones?

[00:13:51]>> Um I gave them away.

[00:13:53]>> Okay. Friends, family?

[00:13:55]>> Friends.

[00:13:56]>> Okay.

[00:13:57]Do you know which friends you gave them to?

[00:13:59]>> Hm?

[00:13:59]>> Do you know which friends you gave them to?

[00:14:01]>> Mhm.

[00:14:02]>> Would you be able to tell me who you gave them to? Not necessarily that they're going to be in trouble, but I'm being quite honest, we're trying to get those phones back, you know?

[00:14:10]>> What did you guys get to?

[00:14:11]>> Okay.

[00:14:12]>> Um >> Do you want to just write down who you gave them to?

[00:14:16]>> Um I can give like if if I have my phone off, like I can give it to you.

[00:14:20]>> You just give it to me. Okay.

[00:14:22]I know your phone is like almost dead, so we'll get you a charger real quick.

[00:14:25]Um did they give you money to almost charge up a little bit? I don't want it to die, you know?

[00:14:30]Um did you get money in return for getting the phones?

[00:14:33]>> Um just a bit.

[00:14:34]>> Okay. How much were you getting per per phone?

[00:14:37]>> Hm?

[00:14:37]>> How much were you getting per phone?

[00:14:39]>> Like five.

[00:14:40]>> Like five dollars?

[00:14:41]>> Mhm.

[00:14:41]>> Okay. Do you know how many phones you sold off?

[00:14:44]>> Only two.

[00:14:45]>> Only two? Okay. What did you do with the rest of the phones?

[00:14:48]>> I don't I don't think I only had three.

[00:14:51]I don't remember taking more than that.

[00:14:53]>> You don't think you took more than three phones?

[00:14:55]>> No.

[00:14:56]>> Okay.

[00:14:57]Um if I was to tell you that T-Mobile pulled their inventory for the last like two, three weeks and they're missing 19 phones.

[00:15:05]>> 19?

[00:15:06]>> Yeah.

[00:15:07]>> 19? 19? Oh my gosh.

[00:15:11]I don't think I took 19 phones.

[00:15:13]>> I mean, I don't I got you on camera taking pictures.

[00:15:16]>> Well, I'm not denying you. I'm not saying you didn't take anything.

[00:15:20]>> That's your right. You just don't recall taking any phones.

[00:15:23]>> Yeah.

[00:15:23]I'm not denying what you were saying I didn't do it. I'm not going to I'm not doing any of that.

[00:15:29]>> Okay.

[00:15:29]>> I'm I'm owning up to it. I want you guys to know that yeah, I was I was wrong. I was wrong. I did mess up and it was wrong of me to even do that.

[00:15:39]I have consequences for what I did.

[00:15:41]>> Like I said, we're we're trying to at least get the phones back to T-Mobile.

[00:15:44]But they're saying that there is a missing quite a few phones since like August 9th.

[00:15:50]So, the last like two weeks.

[00:15:53]>> That's what I think if when I get my phone I can get that to you.

[00:15:57]That's what I gave them to.

[00:15:58]>> Yeah.

[00:15:59]So, you think you only sold two phones?

[00:16:01]Did you give Okay, maybe you sold two phones. Did you give any away?

[00:16:04]>> Mhm.

[00:16:05]>> Okay.

[00:16:05]>> I can give them to That's what I was like I can give them to people that I gave them to to you directly.

[00:16:10]>> All right. Yeah, we'll get your phone once it's charged. Like I said, it was like a very very sliver of red and I don't want it to die. So, we just threw it on a charger. We'll get it working again.

[00:16:20]How long is that going to be?

[00:16:22]Um They also brought up that they're missing some money.

[00:16:27]So, what do you mean? What was explained to me is that sometimes they'll be you guys would be given cash as a deposit or there's for a statement or for like a phone.

[00:16:36]Um and then they saw some inconsistencies with what was supposed to be deposited and what was actually deposited.

[00:16:43]And those inconsistencies fell on days that you were closing.

[00:16:49]Did you happen to like swipe some cash?

[00:16:51]>> No, that's one thing I've never done like taking anything out of a register.

[00:16:55]No, cuz like I've been at any job and never wanted to go into the register do that. Phones, yes I'm I did. But the register, no I've never done that.

[00:17:04]>> Okay, so you never swiped any cash from the deposit box or something like that.

[00:17:07]Okay.

[00:17:08]>> I've ever done anything like that. I've never done that any job ever. I wouldn't do that.

[00:17:13]Cuz I have we have to count it to make it right. So, I wouldn't do that.

[00:17:19]>> All right. You Have you done this in the past?

[00:17:22]>> No.

[00:17:22]>> No?

[00:17:23]>> No.

[00:17:23]>> Just only this one time you've done this? Okay.

[00:17:26]Um >> Never done anything like this ever in my life.

[00:17:29]>> Okay. So, what made you do it?

[00:17:31]>> Anything?

[00:17:32]I was stressed.

[00:17:33]>> Okay.

[00:17:34]>> Now, it was It was like I said, I wasn't really thinking straight. I just was like, "Okay, I'll just do this." And And it Yeah.

[00:17:42]And it I messed up.

[00:17:45]>> Okay. I mean, people make mistakes, right? And you've never been arrested before?

[00:17:48]>> No.

[00:17:49]>> Okay.

[00:17:50]So, maybe this was just a mistake.

[00:17:52]>> even seen inside of a jail.

[00:17:55]>> Well, ours is actually I don't think we're going to put you in a cell, so >> Except for when we get like someone hit our car and we came in and like making a police report, but other than that, I've never seen an inside, so no, I've never >> Hopefully this will be the last time, right?

[00:18:08]>> Yes, please.

[00:18:09]>> Okay.

[00:18:10]Um >> I'm never going to do this again.

[00:18:12]>> The people that you gave the phones to, are there any more phones left in your house?

[00:18:16]>> No.

[00:18:16]>> You got something in your bedroom or anything like that?

[00:18:18]>> No, I do not.

[00:18:19]>> No?

[00:18:19]>> Not at all.

[00:18:20]>> Okay.

[00:18:21]>> That's why I said I can't give you exactly who I gave the phones to so you can go there because there's nothing I can give you at all cuz I'm empty handed to get them back so I can give them directly to you.

[00:18:32]>> Okay.

[00:18:34]Um and it was all like just friends and family or friends?

[00:18:37]>> Um >> Did you sell any on Facebook Marketplace or OfferUp?

[00:18:40]>> Um I think I gave one to like a family friend. Like a like not my friend, one family friend of friend. Like that type of friend.

[00:18:48]>> Okay.

[00:18:48]>> So, yeah. That's who I sold it to.

[00:18:50]That's why I said I'll give the people directly to you. I'll show you who I gave them to >> Yeah.

[00:18:55]>> and who I gave them to and who I sold them to so you can know.

[00:18:58]>> Okay. Yeah, I'm not trying to like jam them up. No, all I was saying was we're just trying to find >> No, you're fine. You're fine. I'm in the wrong. You're not wrong for asking any questions.

[00:19:06]>> Okay.

[00:19:07]What's a What's a good phone for [music] you? So, I'll feel better about that.

[00:19:10]>> I think you already know the phone.

[00:19:12]>> Okay.

[00:19:14]>> Does anybody in your family, like I mean your family know about this?

[00:19:17]>> Your mom or your Is your dad said that?

[00:19:19]No nobody knows.

[00:19:20]>> Nobody knows about it. Okay. Boyfriend know about it?

[00:19:23]>> No, not even him.

[00:19:26]>> So it's just kind of like a spur of the moment, hey.

[00:19:28]>> Yeah, that's why I said it's it's really on me. Nobody else would know anything about it.

[00:19:34]>> Okay.

[00:19:35]>> So that was my mistake. I wouldn't really tell anyone if I made a mistake.

[00:19:39]>> Okay.

[00:19:40]Okay.

[00:19:41]Um So on I guess the topic of the phone, would you give us consent to go through your phone?

[00:19:48]>> Um What do you mean?

[00:19:51]>> Like would you give us consent to take your phone and get like the screenshots of Would you let us go through your phone for like who you >> Oh, I was going to just to show you.

[00:20:00]>> Okay.

[00:20:00]>> I'll show every person to you.

[00:20:02]>> Okay. Okay. Were you making money through cash or was it like cash app or >> Cash app.

[00:20:07]>> They just sent cash?

[00:20:08]>> Yeah.

[00:20:09]>> Okay.

[00:20:09]>> That's all they sent to you.

[00:20:10]>> The second major constitutional issue centers on the detective's request for consent to search the suspect's mobile phone while she was handcuffed and the device was already under police control.

[00:20:21]In Schneckloth versus Bustamonte, the United States Supreme Court held that consent searches are valid only when consent is given voluntarily under the totality of the circumstances. Although custody alone does not automatically invalidate consent, courts apply far greater scrutiny when a suspect is restrained, isolated, and confronted by multiple armed officers.

[00:20:42]As such conditions can undermine the voluntariness of any apparent agreement, the constitutional stakes become even higher in the digital context.

[00:20:51]>> [music] >> In Riley versus California, the Supreme Court recognized that modern cell phones contain vast quantities of deeply personal information and ruled that police generally must obtain a warrant before searching them. While consent remains a recognized exception to the warrant requirement, limited or ambiguous statements, such as a suspect offering to display certain contacts or messages, >> [music] >> do not automatically authorize a broad forensic extraction of the entire device. The third constitutional question involves whether officers possessed sufficient probable cause to justify the warrantless arrest itself.

[00:21:26]Under United States versus Watson, police may conduct a warrantless felony arrest in a public place when probable cause exists. And in this case, the combination of surveillance footage, inventory discrepancies, safe access records, and allegations involving approximately 20 missing devices appears to provide a substantial factual basis for the arrest. The underlying offense is also significant under Illinois law.

[00:21:51]720 ILCS 5/16-1 defines theft as knowingly exerting unauthorized control over another's property with intent to permanently deprive the owner of its use.

[00:22:02]And where the alleged value falls between $10,000 and $1,000, the offense constitutes a class two felony punishable by three to seven years imprisonment. Illinois law additionally permits the aggregation of multiple acts committed as part of a continuing course of conduct, allowing prosecutors to consolidate the alleged theft of multiple devices into a single felony count. Compounding the evidentiary concerns, 725 ILCS 5103-2.1 requires electronic recording of custodial interrogations for many serious felony investigations.

[00:22:37]Meaning that any failure to capture a clear, audible Miranda warning could become a critical issue in suppression proceedings. Taken together, the body camera footage illustrates a fundamental principle of constitutional criminal procedure.

[00:22:50]Strong evidence alone does not excuse procedural shortcuts. Officers must administer Miranda warnings clearly and on the record before custodial questioning begins.

[00:23:00]Departments must ensure that consent searches of digital devices are documented with precision and suspects must understand that even seemingly casual conversations with police while in custody can produce statements later used in court. Ultimately, constitutional safeguards are not mere technicalities.

[00:23:18]They are the legal foundation that determines whether an investigation survives judicial scrutiny or collapses before trial.

[00:23:26]>> Yeah.

[00:23:29]>> Did you make any purchases with the money you got from that or not?

[00:23:32]>> Not really, only a few things.

[00:23:35]>> Like what? Any like big big dollar purchases like anything over $100?

[00:23:38]>> No. Not yet.

[00:23:40]>> Nothing that I know of. That's why >> No, I'm okay with that.

[00:23:42]>> Is that cash from when you sold the phones?

[00:23:45]That's in your wallet? Like $800 cash?

[00:23:48]>> Yes.

[00:23:48]>> Yeah, okay. Is it all from your the phone sales?

[00:23:51]>> Mhm.

[00:23:52]>> Is it all from selling the phones?

[00:23:53]>> No.

[00:23:54]>> How much do you think you got in your wallet for that?

[00:23:56]>> Um >> Are they bills though?

[00:23:58]>> The $5 is in there. Not the other phones though.

[00:24:02]I just have that on my card and I took it off.

[00:24:05]That was not it.

[00:24:06]>> Okay. You said it was on your debit card?

[00:24:08]What's your bank account?

[00:24:09]What's your bank account?

[00:24:10]>> I don't really have a bank.

[00:24:11]>> Is it like a >> I have yeah.

[00:24:13]>> Cash app?

[00:24:14]>> Yeah, I use PayPal.

[00:24:15]>> PayPal, Cash app?

[00:24:17]>> Stuff like that.

[00:24:18]>> Okay.

[00:24:19]Um do you live there? Do you stay there?

[00:24:21]You only get mail there?

[00:24:21]>> Mhm.

[00:24:22]>> I thought you get mail on Hillside.

[00:24:23]>> Mhm.

[00:24:24]>> Why don't you want to get mail at this address?

[00:24:26]>> Cuz my mom addresses it. She's nosy. I hate what she gets my >> Okay.

[00:24:31]>> I got it.

[00:24:31]>> Okay, that makes sense.

[00:24:33]She was a book for you growing up or not?

[00:24:35]>> Yes, yeah.

[00:24:37]>> How do you think your mom would react to you being in this situation?

[00:24:40]>> [sighs] >> I really don't even want to tell her.

[00:24:44]>> Do you think she'd be disappointed?

[00:24:46]>> Yeah, I'm disappointed.

[00:24:49]>> I see how it is.

[00:24:51]Um >> She is not. I've never done anything like this.

[00:24:54]>> She would not like you getting get She pretty straight.

[00:24:58]>> Yeah.

[00:24:59]>> Okay.

[00:25:00]She's absolutely what we meant.

[00:25:03]>> I don't blame her. Well, like I said, we all make mistakes.

[00:25:06]Um what do you think should have happened to somebody like you?

[00:25:11]Got caught stealing [clears throat] phones.

[00:25:12]>> You knew it was me and so I knew it was me. I'm pretty sure they probably would have wanted to get something out of me.

[00:25:18]>> Is that what you meant?

[00:25:18]>> Yeah.

[00:25:19]>> Okay. What do you think about criminal aid? What do you think should happen?

[00:25:22]>> Um you should have to pay all that money back and some, maybe.

[00:25:28]Cuz like it's wrong. You should definitely have to pay some and extra.

[00:25:35]>> So, I'm just going to kind of recap. How many phones do you think that you've taken from here mobile?

[00:25:39]>> I don't really know.

[00:25:41]I don't know.

[00:25:43]>> Do you think it was 19?

[00:25:45]That is still the iPhone 7, I mean iPhone and Samsung.

[00:25:47]>> I don't know. Could have been.

[00:25:49]>> Is it possible you could just kind of grab it real quick and you could grab it?

[00:25:52]>> not possible.

[00:25:53]>> Were they all in the safe?

[00:25:55]>> Mm, yeah.

[00:25:57]>> And now you're taking this by ones.

[00:25:59]They were all in the safe. Okay.

[00:26:00]Were you ever told not to take phones out of the safe unless it was for >> Huh?

[00:26:05]>> Were you ever like instructed, "Hey, don't take phones out of the store for a customer?"

[00:26:10]No.

[00:26:11]Okay.

[00:26:13]How long you been with your boyfriend?

[00:26:15]>> Mm, we've been together for 3 years.

[00:26:19]I don't know for >> Okay. What's he do?

[00:26:22]>> He's in real estate.

[00:26:23]>> He does real estate.

[00:26:25]Like apartment complexes or like a >> I think it's more apartment type complex.

[00:26:32]>> Is that who that address is? You got a home? Do you put phones at his place or do you guys stay together?

[00:26:37]>> No, I don't have any more phones.

[00:26:39]>> You don't have any more phones. Okay.

[00:26:41]>> That's why I said I can give you all the >> Everybody you sold it to.

[00:26:45]Did you list your boyfriend as like an emergency contact?

[00:26:48]>> No.

[00:26:48]>> Okay.

[00:26:50]All right.

[00:26:51]So, we'd like to, obviously, have you show us and tell us where the phones went and who we can contact to try and get those phones back.

[00:26:59]>> Right.

[00:26:59]>> Um and then, obviously, we're going to corporate, you know, cuz that'll be They're actually the ones that brought this to our attention. So, we've asked them how they want to proceed. Um have you ever been arrested before? So, it's not like this is a pattern, but it's essentially a pattern because it's been multiple instances. Um and then we want to talk to our state's attorney about it. So, is there anybody you want to call?

[00:27:26]I mean, you're probably going to be here a little bit. I'm not saying you're going to be here all day, but you'll probably be here, you know, probably another couple hours.

[00:27:37]>> Is there anything I I'm comfortable with? Is there anything else I have to do? I was like, "I'm confused. I'm sorry. I've never been dealt with this, so."

[00:27:44]>> You tell me this is going to be chilling, to be honest with you. Yeah.

[00:27:47]We're going to wait for your phone to charge up a little more and then we'll come back and talk. And then we'll go through, you know, who may have the other the cell phones, so we can just try and get those back.

[00:27:54]>> Right.

[00:27:55]>> Um hopefully they'll be willing to give that back.

[00:27:58]Um and then we'll ask our state's attorney just to see how they want to kind of proceed with this, whether it's release you and we'll follow up with you another day while we gather some more information, or whether they want to charge you with something.

[00:28:13]Like I don't know what the charge would be.

[00:28:15]Um I got no idea, but that's going to be ultimately up to the state's attorney.

[00:28:19]So.

[00:28:22]>> I think I should do a couple questions.

[00:28:23][music] >> Okay.