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Burglary, felony stealing charges filed after iPhone stolen from taxi

A man in his 20s, Andrew Peters, has been charged with burglary and felony stealing on allegations that he burglarized a taxi that was parked in front of a store in Pago Pago and took off with an iPhone.

Peters made his initial appearance in the District Court yesterday morning and his bail has been set at $30,000.

Peters is scheduled to have his preliminary examination hearing this coming Thursday.  According to the government’s case, police received a call from the complaining witness that someone had stolen an iPhone from his taxi. Court filings say that the incident occurred on May 22, 2012.

The victim told police he had stopped at the Shining Star Store and noticed three young men. The victim went on to say that while he was at the counter, he noticed the defendant walking past his car and when he exited the store, the three men started running.

Court documents say that when the victim got into his car he immediately noticed that his iPhone was missing and he went after the three men.

The victim told police that he tried to follow the suspects, however the three men managed to run between the houses and he couldn’t find them.

The government alleges that upon receiving the complaint investigating officers recognized the description of the defendant, who is also a suspect in other investigations.

Court documents say that when police visited the area where the defendant usually hangs out, police saw the defendant enter a home in Pago Pago without permission. Police attempted to secure the area but were unsuccessful.

According to the government’s case police were in pursuit of the defendant when they came across two juveniles who told police that the defendant gave them the IPhone to return to the taxi driver, because the defendant did not want to go to jail since he was leaving soon for Hawai’i. The juveniles told police that they were with the defendant the day he stole the iPhone from the taxi.

Assistant Public Defender Donna Clement represents the defendant while prosecuting is Assistant Attorney General Cable Poag.