Former Kennedy Space Center worker charged with stealing, selling shuttle tiles

[DainBramaged]

A former Kennedy Space Center worker accused of selling space shuttle tiles online has been arrested in Brevard County, the Sheriff's Office confirmed.

According to Agent Jennifer Straight, Brevard investigators were contacted by NASA in late January to report the theft. On Feb. 1, they raided the Port St. John-area home of former United Space Alliance employee David Abbey, Straight said.

Based on evidence found in the home and statements Abbey made, deputies obtained a warrant for his arrest this week. He was arrested Thursday, charged with grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

Investigators believe Abbey, who they said worked for USA for in 2000, stole the tiles while he was an employee and began selling them on eBay.com in 2009.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/crime/os-shuttle-worker-arrested-nasa-theft20110211,0,2830776.story

Got burned because an EBay buyer doubted they were real......and he only got 6-800 each for them

[tammywammy]

1. My dad helped make those tiles!

And I'm glad they caught the SOB. $6-800 is a steal on them. Those suckers aren't cheap.

[Codeine]

2. My uncle still has one of the first ones from the early days of the program.

He worked on the design team in the 70s. I thought it was the single coolest thing on Earth when I was a ten-year-old geek-in-training.

[pa28]

3. He got it wrong.

Try stealing the whole shuttle next time, hire lobbyists and repackage the program. You'll be A-OK.