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South Jersey Man Charged With Trying to Pass Off Cotton and Rocks as iPhones

By Robin Culverwell

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (CBS) -- A Millville, NJ man is under arrest, charged with theft.

Police say he tried to sell two iPhone 6s on Craigslist, but that when he met with a potential buyer in the parking lot of Cherry Hill Mall, he had swapped out the phones with rocks and wads of cotton.

Charged is 26-year-old Darius Smith.

The buyer told police that when he and Smith met last night, he noticed the seals on the phone boxes had been tampered with.   He argued with the seller and then flagged down a Cherry Hill police officer who was on patrol at the mall.

Cherry Hill police are using the occasion to remind anyone making an online purchase to deal with sellers locally, meet face to face, and meet in a public area such as a police station.

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