Juvenile Blames Teacher for Taking Stolen iPhone

NEWPORT, RI—Police arrested a 14-year-old on Jan. 24 at 5:42 p.m. after he allegedly confessed to stealing a demonstration model iPhone from the AT&T store on Connell Highway.

The teen is accused of going into the store and swiping the phone on Dec. 28 around 1:32 p.m. Police said the store reported the youth came into the store with a hood pulled over his head and then took off on foot across the rotary by the Shell gas station.

The officer talked to detectives who suspected the 14-year-old, whose name is not being released due to his age.

The suspect initially told police he threw the iPhone down a drain. He could not specify which drain, and then he changed his story to say he broke the phone. He also said he gave the phone to a friend. Later, he said one of his teachers at the Thompson School took the phone and kept it.

Police spoke to the teacher, who said she did take the phone away but returned it to the student.

The youngster finally produced the missing phone, which was in his pocket.

He was charged with larceny under $1,500 for stealing the phone and with obstructing an officer for lying to the police. Both charges are misdemeanors, police said.