FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Police in Fairfax County believe three men could have stolen as many as 35,000 laptops belonging to Fairfax County Public Schools since as early as November of 2020.
According to the Fairfax County Police Department, detectives were notified in March that several thousand surplus laptops slated to be auctioned may have been illegally reallocated.
The laptops were being held in a warehouse on the 6800 block of Industrial Road in Springfield. During the investigation, it was determined that a box truck registered to Attyah Computer Recycling came to the warehouse to pick up laptops on multiple occasions.
The driver of the truck would not get out of the truck or show any of the paperwork necessary to receive auctioned goods. Despite the lack of paperwork, the truck would be loaded up with laptops and computer parts. It was determined during the investigation that two warehouse employees were complicit in the scene.
On the morning of Thursday, July 14, FCPD detectives were conducting surveillance on the warehouse and saw the truck, which and found several stolen laptops inside. The driver, identified as 36-year-old Fadi Atiyeh of Centreville, was arrested and charged with receiving stolen property and larceny with intent to distribute.
Later that day, two warehouse employees, 35-year-old Franque Minor II and 21-year-old Mario Jones, Jr., were arrested and charged with embezzlement and larceny with intent to distribute. Both Minor and Jones are also employed at FCPS.
Detectives are still working their way through “a significant” amount of evidence to determine the full scope of the scheme. As of now, detectives believe Atiyeh, Minor and Jones stole as many as 35,000 laptops estimated to be worth over $2 million, dating back to November of 2020.
Anyone with information related to this case is asked to anonymously call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477. Anonymous tipsters could be eligible for a cash reward.
