Lockport Man Stole $300K Worth of Laptops and Smartphones from Joliet Warehouse

A Lockport man stole more than $300,000 worth of laptop computers and smartphones from the Joliet warehouse where he was working.

William J. Brown, 37, was working as a small parcels shipping clerk for the Versant Supply Chain Company on East Laraway Road when he filched the Acer laptops and phones last year, according to a complaint for a search warrant filed in Will County court.

Brown pleaded guilty to theft. He was sentenced in August to the time he already served in jail and two years probation.

Brown explained to police that he would ship a “couple computers at a time” to his home. He was living in Chicago when he was stealing the computers but jail records now list him as a resident of Lockport.

Police determined that Brown used proceeds from the stolen computers and smartphones to buy a diamond ring, a television, a 2008 Chevy Malibu and a 2009 Ford Mustang, the complaint said. He gave the Malibu to his girlfriend.

Police seized the ring, the cars and the television.