12/23/2006

News in Brief

Man accused of stealing computers

TRAVERSE CITY — A Lake Ann man was arrested for selling two stolen computers to police through the popular Internet auction site eBay.

Michael Lee Johns, 24, faces two felony charges after police said he stole two computers from Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he was hired as an independent contractor to install dozens of computers throughout campus.

Grand Traverse County Sheriff Scott Fewins said an Interlochen employee checked a list to make sure all of the computers were installed and discovered two missing machines.

Detectives tracked the computers to a sale on eBay. One of the auction listings included a serial number that matched one of the missing computers, police said.

Fewins said the sheriff's department placed a winning bid of $1,500 for the two computers and arranged to meet Johns at the Grand Traverse Mall for delivery. Johns was arrested and charged with receiving and concealing property over $1,000 and larceny by conversion over $1,000.