2 Arrested In Cupertino Verizon Store Burglary Not Long After Alleged Heist

SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA -- Two men who allegedly carried out a daring burglary in which they cut a hole into the roof of a Verizon Wireless store in Cupertino, then used a saw to cut an opening into a metal door and stole 189 Apple iPhones, iPads, Samsung Galaxy phones and other electronic items, were taken into custody not long after authorities were alerted of the heist, Santa Clara County sheriff's officials said.

The burglary Tan Van Nguyen, a 40-year-old San Jose resident, and Marc Tran, 38, of American Canyon, are accused of committing was reported at 5:51 a.m. Monday at the store at 20735 Stevens Creek Blvd., according to the sheriff's office.

After cutting the hole in the roof, the suspects disabled the store's alarm and video surveillance before entering the building, then used the saw to get through a metal door to the inventory storage room, sheriff's
officials said.

The pair allegedly stole more than $138,000 worth of electronics, according to the sheriff's office.

Shortly after the initial report of the burglary, deputies approached a silver Lexus sedan stopped on Meridian Avenue underneath the Southwest Expressway overpass in San Jose.

As the deputies spoke with the pair inside the vehicle, they noticed a large amount of Apple products in the backseat of the car.

Being aware of the Verizon burglary, the deputies detained Nguyen and Tran and eventually arrested them on suspicion of burglary, conspiracy and possession of burglary tools, according to the sheriff's office.

All 189 stolen items were returned to Verizon and both suspects were booked into the Santa Clara County Main Jail. Nguyen remains there on $120,000 bail, while Tran is no longer in custody, sheriff's officials said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 408-808-4500. People can also call an anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo of Tan Nguyen via Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office