CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — A P.E.I. woman who called a provincial COVID-19 mobile screening clinic looking for information about unlocking an iPhone previously stolen from the site pleaded guilty recently to possession of stolen property.
Mary Stephanie Peters, 30, was also sentenced for the offence on Oct. 28 in P.E.I. provincial court in Charlottetown.
On July 7, police responded to a break-in at the provincial COVID-19 mobile screening clinic at 64 Park St. Several items were stolen, including a black iPhone XR cellphone, said Crown attorney Jeff MacDonald.
The following day at around 7:36 p.m., Peters called the mobile clinic and spoke to someone saying that she just bought the iPhone and was looking for information about how to unlock it so it could be used. Peters provided the person with the international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number that is unique to every mobile device, which was matched to the stolen iPhone.
Police located and arrested Peters. She told police that her boyfriend gave her the phone. Peters also said she suspected the phone was stolen because when she tried to transfer content to it, a message saying P.E.I. Government and a phone number was displayed.
She returned the phone to police. MacDonald added that her boyfriend is also facing charges in court.
MacDonald said Peters has a prior and related criminal record for property offences, including 65 days in jail in 2020 for theft under $5,000 and failing to attend court.
Peters addressed the court and apologized for her part in the court matter. She also said that when she received the phone, she didn’t know it was stolen.
Chief Judge Jeff Lantz sentenced Peters to 30 days in jail. She was given an equal amount of credit for time already served in custody, meaning she has no more time left to serve on the sentence. Lantz also sentenced Peters to 12 months of probation.
Terrence McEachern is a justice reporter with the SaltWire Network in Prince Edward Island.
Twitter.com/terry_mcn
