Just how much is a warehouse full of mobile phones worth? Well, according to T-Mobile, their warehouse-filling stock of 36,000 handsets is worth $8.2 million. How does T-Mobile know this? Well, said warehouse was burgled recently and the robbers got away with 36,000 mobile phones – mostly of the T-Mobile exclusive Sidekick variety.
On the upside, the IMEI numbers (a network-registration number) of the devices are known and T-Mobile is working with law enforcement to track down any offending IMEI numbers that hit T-Mobile’s network.
T-Mobile is warning their dealers of any shady gray-market deals, and has sent out an email giving these retailers a heads-up on any deals that look too good to be true.
“Wanted to let you all know that one of our warehouses was broken into over the weekend and some 36,000 phones were stolen (worth about 8.2 Million). The most significant phones stolen were the Sidekick phones. Please make sure you inform the dealers who like to purchase gray market handsets that we are aggressively working with law enforcement to prosecute anyone who has these handsets. We do know the IMEI’s of the stolen phones and once they end up on our network we will go to the dealer code that activated the phone. So if your dealers get a call about Sidekicks and the deal is too good to be true you will know why.”
So, if you come across any amazing deals on T-Mobile handsets, you might want to make sure the IMEI is clean before you plunk down the greenbacks. Otherwise, you might just have some flat-foots knocking on your door.
[Via: BGR]