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Apple Store Customer Arrested for Shoplifting Says He Was Trying to Use EasyPay Self-Checkout
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A teenager going to the Apple store trying to buy a pair of expensive Bose headphones and accidentally "failed" the payment. Suspicious.
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I'm sure it was an honest mistake on his part - he had no intention of stealing the headphones and was fully prepared to purchase them using the credit card he had just stolen earlier in the day.
Here's a simple resolution. Don't use the app. Comment on the app "I got arrested for using your app please remove from app store".
Done.
Now go do things the way it's meant to by interacting with people and purchasing your product by exchanging currency.
Done.
Now go do things the way it's meant to by interacting with people and purchasing your product by exchanging currency.
Why can't they just let him pay and get on with their day?
Or, if they must drag this out, then check their security cameras. They see every inch of those stores, I'm sure they could see if he was using his phone to try and buy something.
Or, if they must drag this out, then check their security cameras. They see every inch of those stores, I'm sure they could see if he was using his phone to try and buy something.
If it was beats, would that satisfy you? Have you by chance been outside lately, or to a high school? Kids have more today than I ever did as a teen.
I know nothing about easy checkout or whatever, but how does that happen with more major purchases that don't have a barcode in plain site?
Apple's Bad Idea: Easy Criminal Record
It is impossible for us to know whether he meant to pay or not, but the episode still illustrates that "easy-pay" is a really bad idea. Why risk getting a criminal record for the sake a saving two minutes in the store? The thing is almost certain to wrongly tag some people as shoplifters.
Makes me less willing to go to my local Apple Store out of sheer irritation that they would come up with such a system.
It is impossible for us to know whether he meant to pay or not, but the episode still illustrates that "easy-pay" is a really bad idea. Why risk getting a criminal record for the sake a saving two minutes in the store? The thing is almost certain to wrongly tag some people as shoplifters.
Makes me less willing to go to my local Apple Store out of sheer irritation that they would come up with such a system.
You know your right. We should also protest against Amazon and the like. We really need to be shopping in person, instead of somewhere ambiguous like online, or through an app in a (usually) crowded store, with (usually) busy sales personnel, who are (usually) taking care of people who actually need their help.
If I was this kid I would sue the living hell out of Apple for damages - good luck proving the kid was intending to steal.
Jobs is rolling in his grave seeing the company he built screw everything up.
Jobs is rolling in his grave seeing the company he built screw everything up.
My guess is that there is more to this story. I don't see Apple employees routinely stopping to ask people for receipts. Plus, they don't want to discourage people from using EasyPay. Perhaps they were tracking him for a while (as he was in the store for an hour), and saw something suspicious. It's easy enough to come in to the store with an "issue" for the Genius Bar. In any case, since he wants to proceed to trial he can give his side of the story then and let a jury decide.
This is sad news for innovation. Thives around the world now will have to change the way the shoplift. It wasn`t stealing!! Apple is a horrible company for saying no to this guys who may have wanted to steal their stuff. They make tons of money and they are still going after little kids. Horrible news!! 
Unless the store management are complete and utter morons, they must have some reason to believe his intent was to steal. They could have been watching him or have video from security cameras to show his actions. My kids have all worked in mall retail at various times and most of the top stores instruct their clerks not to argue with a customer over something like this, but they do have security teams that are watching everything all the time, and they will take people out if they see a crime in progress. Because this is Apple, I believe there is more to the story than what is being presented. This kind of thing must be pretty common.
Whoa! What? I bought one- those things are heavy as hell to lug around and the only way I got it was by having the employee bring it out- what did they say to you? What idiots!
Apple needs to drop the charges here. The bad press associated with this is orders of magnitude greater in cost then a 1000 pairs of headphones. The mere fact that the kid refused a plea bargain should be proof enough he is honest. An honest person would not admit to stealing to get off easy -- they would want their good name cleared. I believe this kid and I think that Apple should rethink its EasyPay feature if it could lead to problems such as this.