BOULDER, Colo.—University of Colorado police have arrested a graduate student accused of stealing at least 150 software codes from labels on university computers and selling them online for about $30,000.
The Windows XP Professional authenticity codes then could be used to register illicit copies of the software.
Beichuan Yan, 34, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of felony theft and was released on a $3,500 bond, the Camera reported.
He allegedly told investigators he needed the money because his wife is pregnant, a police report said.
A Microsoft Corp. investigator and a private detective bought some of the codes from Yan, and the codes were traced to CU, said campus police Cmdr. Brad Wiesley.
A phone number for Yan could not be found.
Wiesely said Yan’s status at the university remains unclear. Yan is a Chinese national pursuing his doctorate in engineering.
Microsoft has dedicated investigators and resources to halting illegal sales, company spokeswoman Julie Robertson said.
“Infringing upon intellectual property has become an increasingly common way for criminals to deceive the public,” she said.
