Hazlet hard-drive theft defendant sentenced

The Hazlet 49-year-old who admitted taking hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of data storage equipment from the Piscataway data security company that employed him, and selling it on eBay, heads to prison for five years.

John Large pleaded guilty to a second-degree theft charge in mid-April, according to the office of New Jersey Acting Attorney General Christopher Porrino.

His plea agreement requires him to pay the full value of the stolen hard drives and data transceivers, $628,491, in restitution.

Large was indicted in 2015 following a probe that began the year prior, when a large banking client of the company reported the disappearance of equipment from its secure storage area.

An internal investigation revealed numerous thefts dating back to 2011, authorities said. The company referred the investigation to New Jersey State Police.

Large admitted taking the equipment from his employer and the company's clients, and selling it on line. Authorities said that buyers apparently weren't aware that the gear was stolen, and that they reported erasing data on hard drives before using them.