New York City police officer busted for buying iPhone on the street for $15

You have heard the phrase, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” Sergeant Victor Leandry of the New York City Police Department should have reminded himself of that “truth.”

Unfortunately for him, he allegedly got caught up in a sting operating which was focused on catching stolen devices being sold on the black market. It is also perhaps apropos that Sgt. Leandry works in the Internal Affairs Bureau which is NYPD’s internal investigative unit aimed at combing out nefarious activities within the police force.

The undercover cop who sold Leandry the “hot” iPhone apparently harassed him until he finally agreed to buy it for $15 which was all the money he had on him at the time. Leandry’s attorney said that the phone was never offered as “stolen” or “fell off the truck” and there is no video or audio of the transaction. Taken together, he argues, Sgt. Leandry should not even be charged.

“Tourists flock to this city every day from other countries to engage in the experience of buying goods on the streets of New York City,” said Leandry’s lawyer, John D’Alessandro. “There is nothing criminal about it.”

Sgt. Leandry appears in court on January 15th.  Maybe we have watched too much Law & Order or other TV police dramas, but a sting without video or audio does not seem to be too well organized. We know technology starts to get “affordable” as new generations come out, but $15 seems like a stretch. Besides, these guys apparently did not realize that Apple products get more expensive over time.