Three cellphones that were mailed back to Verizon on May 15 from two different Holmdel addresses never reached their intended destination. Now the former owner is on the hook for their full value.

An assistant at a Holmdel doctor's office told Holmdel Police that back in February she followed Verizon's instructions to package up three 4S iPhones for return to Verizon, since the office had gotten upgrades. One package left from the doctor's office on N. Beers Street in Holmdel; the other from the doctor's residence in Holmdel.

In March she received word from Verizon that the boxes had come back empty. Verizon is now billing the doctor's office for $1875 and $981 for the lost phones, she told police.

Holmdel Police are investigating the case of theft with the assistance of the Holmdel Post Office. On May 16, they said they learned from a US Postal Service agent that one of the stolen phones seems to be active. A federal subpoena will be served to Verizon to obtain the subscriber information, police were told.