Suspect in laptop theft pleads not guilty to burglary, theft charges
By Sam Hoff
Nov. 14, 2014 4:51 p.m.
A former UCLA student accused of stealing more than 50 laptops from the Charles E. Young Research Library and the UCLA store pled not guilty Thursday to four theft and burglary charges.
Prosecutors charged Seyed Ali Pakizehkar Hesari, 29, with two felony counts of grand theft and second-degree commercial burglary, one felony vandalism count and one misdemeanor count of lying to a police officer, according to a Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office press release.
If he is convicted on all charges, Hesari could face up to four years and eight months in state prison.
University police arrested Hesari Tuesday after a student at the John Wooden Center recognized his shoes, shirt and sweatpants from police images in an article posted on the Daily Bruin’s website.
Officers later searched Hesari’s mother’s home in Hollywood where he lives, and found 53 of the MacBooks, police said.
Hesari is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Dec. 1.
Compiled by Sam Hoff, Bruin senior staff.
