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Police investigate alleged suicide over missing iPhone

By Chen Qian | July 21, 2009, Tuesday | Online Edition

POLICE began to investigate the alleged suicide case of a Foxconn employee who was suspected of stealing an iPhone prototype in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province.

Sun Danyong, 25, jumped from the 12th floor of a building last Thursday, Southern Metropolis Daily reported today.

Sun allegedly committed suicide after being detained and beaten by a man surnamed Gu, a senior official of Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Group's security department, the newspaper said, citing Sun's classmate.
Sun chatted online with the classmate, who has not been identified, before his death. Sun said he was being investigated after one iPhone went missing at the company.

"But I didn't steal it. I never steal anything," Sun said during the online chat. "How can you (the senior official) take me by force and beat me?"

Sun sent 16 fourth-generation iPhone prototypes to Apple Inc on July 9, but the company said it only received 15. Apple was suspicious of an information leak by Foxconn, which manufactures the iPhone for Apple. Apple put pressure on the company after the phone went missing, the report said.

After the iPhone went missing, Foxconn began to investigate Sun. According to Sun's girlfriend, three company officials went to Sun's home to search it on July 15, but they didn't find the iPhone and left with Sun.

She received a short message from Sun at 1:48am last Thursday, saying he had some trouble and asked her not to tell his family, the report said.

Police said they will first determine whether Sun was murdered and then investigate Foxconn's treatment of Sun.

Gu was suspended and under police investigation now, Foxconn said, which added it never allows employees to do anything against the law.

"I'm so sorry to Sun and his family," Foxconn's general manager Li Jinming said. "The case reflects the lack of management at the company."

Foxconn said in a statement issued today that it will communicate more with its employees, especially young people, to give them spiritual support.

Sun, a Yunnan Province native, graduated from Harbin Industry University and was recruited by Foxconn in 2008.

Foxconn was once blamed for poor working conditions in its mainland factories. A China Business News report on June 15, 2006, claimed most employees in Foxconn's Shenzhen factory worked more than 12 hours a day but were only paid about 1,000 yuan a month.

Foxconn sued the journalist and his editor for allegedly damaging its reputation and demanded 30 million yuan compensation. The company later withdrew the lawsuit.






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