Platinum thief given deferred sentence

A man who sole $172,000 in platinum from Applied Materials was given a six-year deferred sentence Thursday in Flathead District Court

John Bovee, 25, had pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft.

While he was an employee at Applied Materials, Bovee stole 1,022 platinum contact pins and 272 platinum contact bars with a combined value of roughly $172,000 between April 29, 2011 and June 10, 2011.

Bovee was caught after the company’s security team determined Bovee had ordered a platinum recycling kit.

He later admitted to Whitefish police that he had stolen the platinum.

In addition to his deferred sentence, Bovee was ordered to pay $68,400 in restitution, a $160 surcharge and a $50 pre-sentence investigation report preparation fee. His fines were suspended and a public defender fee was waived in order for him to focus on paying his restitution.