By Mike Nelson
 
March 5, 2010
 
MEDFORD, Ore. -- Medford Police are investigating a second theft at a Rogue Valley Mall business.
 
An employee at the "Diamond Wireless" kiosk says someone made off with 89 cell phones in the early morning hours. The phones were expensive "smart phones" like Blackberries and Droids worth about $26,000 in total. The employee tells KDRV that when workers came-in to open for the day, they noticed someone had cut-through cabinet door handles and targeted only high-end phones. He says the store had upgraded security after a similar heist just before Christmas of last year.
 
In that theft, someone broke into the storage cabinets and stole about $27,000 worth of electronics and cash.
 
In both cases, investigators believe the thief or thieves struck in the early morning hours when the mall opens for walkers at 6 a.m.
 
The future of the kiosk is not known, but employees say the business has signed a deal to move into the now vacated "Verizon Wireless" location on the second floor of the mall.
 
Employees say other "Diamond Wireless" businesses have been the target of similar crimes in Eugene and Portland.