A 25-year-old Columbia Falls man pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of theft Feb. 23 in Flathead District Court.

John Bovee is alleged to have stolen more than $172,000 worth of platinum contact pins and contact bars from Applied Materials over roughly three weeks in 2011.

According to court documents, an employee with the company contacted the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office on June 16, 2011, to report the theft of platinum bars and pins used in the manufacture of computer equipment.

In total, 1,022 small platinum contact pins valued at $13,392.80 and 272 platinum contact bars valued at $158,848 were stolen between April 29 and May 20, 2011.

The company’s security team contacted an administrator with a recycling company and found a platinum recycling kit had been sent to a customer in Whitefish.

After being served with a subpoena, the recycling company identified Bovee as the person who ordered the kit. Bovee was an employee of Applied Materials and had access to the items that were stolen.

Court documents state that Bovee confessed to stealing some of the platinum during interviews with the Whitefish Police Department.

If convicted, Bovee faces up to 10 years in jail and a fine of up to $50,000. His next hearing is scheduled for April 11.