AUBURN -- A former Cingular employee who used his inside knowledge to steal $29,310 in cell phones pleaded guilty in Cayuga County Court Tuesday to third-degree felony grand larceny

Cayuga County District Attorney Jon Budelmann said Ryan Breen, 29, of 1233 Wiley Road, Savannah, was no longer a Cingular employee when he stole the phones between 2006 and 2007, but that he used his previous knowledge to convince a Cingular employee at Wal-Mart that he needed the phones to make upgrades for clients.

While the same employee gave him the phones each time, Breen said the other person had no idea that he no longer worked for the company or that he was selling the phones and keeping the money.

Because Breen has made full restitution he is expected to receive either a conditional discharge or a straight probation sentence in addition to 150 hours of community service when he is sentenced on June 9.