Ex-Garmin worker charged with $1M in GPS thefts

A former employee of Garmin International has been charged with stealing more than $1 million worth of GPS devices from the Kansas-based company.

The U.S. Attorney's office says 31-year-old Terrence M. Heathington, who now lives in Atlanta, was indicted Wednesday on 40 counts of mail fraud.

Heathington worked from March to September 2008 as a Garmin warehouse material handler in Olathe, where the company is headquartered.

The indictment alleges he caused about 165 cases of stolen GPS devices to be shipped to his home and those of co-conspirators. The devices were then sold on eBay and elsewhere.

In addition to the criminal charges, prosecutors are also seeking a forfeiture judgment.

No phone listing could be found for Heathington in Georgia, and court records do not list a defense attorney.