Police Bust Down Door to Get an IPhone

Well it was bound to happen sooner or later. The iPhone is now so sought after that local law enforcement authorities in California are literally breaking down the door to get at the latest iPhone. According to the New York Times Media Decoder Blog.

Jason Chen is an editor reporting on the new iPhone for Gawker Media's Gizmodo blog. Chen's computers and other items were reportedly taken form his home in an apparent investigation by local authorities into the illegal sale and purchase of the latest next generation iPhone. The latest iPhone has been in the news of late and was reported to be left at a bar by someone. The supposed latest iPhone was then picked up by an unknown person who sold it to Gawker Media for $5,000.

In a letter to San Mateo County, California authorities, Gaby Darbyshire, Gawker's chief operating officer contended, "Under both state and federal law, a search warrant may not be validly issued to confiscate the property of a journalist. Jason is a journalist who works full time for our company."

Authorities in San Mateo County were already considering whether to file criminal charges against anyone or any company which may have been connected with the sale of this particular iPhone. Local authorities close to the case would not speak on the record about the stolen iPhone prototype case. However, they did indicate that charges were most likely to be filed against the person or people who initially stole and sold the prototype iPhone. It's still possible charges may be filed against the purchaser of the iPhone.

Chen gave an account of the events surrounding the "search" for information on the iPhone prototype which occurred last Friday at his home. Apparently when Chen had arrived home just before 10:00 p.m., the police told him that they had already been there for several hours and had searched the home for the iPhone. Police had also started the process of cataloging his computers and servers searching for any information associated with the stolen iPhone prototype. According to San Mateo County authorities, the warrant was based on probable cause that Chen's home was used as a means of committing a felony to acquire the illegally stolen iPhone prototype.

Source: New York Times; Media Decoder