Arrest Warrants Issued for 17 People in $1M California Apple Store Theft Ring

[DeepIn2U]

They were caught when police asked Johnny Appleseed to Find My Friend.

Nah not even that complicated ... cops just had to change their diet from donuts to Burger King ... that’s where they found the Burger King MoneyTeam ballin lol

[doublepost=1538101554][/doublepost]

Good. Make an example out of them.

And your tax dollars further hurting consumers.

Yes I agree this crime ring should be made an example of and most likely will. Yet I’d like to see them working their ass off to clean up the environment, work in recycling plants or hard labour to boost cleanup of the environment where less of your tax dollars are hurt and yet more can be enjoyed by consumers.
[doublepost=1538101677][/doublepost]

Glad they caught them. Little kids are frequently in these stores.

Lol not like these little kids ever were reported being harmed. I honestly doubt these kids noticed and if they where NOt properly supervised by their parents we’ll you see that kind of stupidity on the news daily.

 

[JWiLL1988]

You’d think the display models only would have a kill switch of some sort and could be remotely turned into a brick.

They do

 

[DeepIn2U]

I hope all of these 17 "factory defects" never a chance to prove their defectiveness again.
Apple needs to install bars on the front that can drop down in seconds.
Also bars to block exit thru the back.
Trap the animals until the police/swat team arrive.

When others resort to calling thieves as animals vs the people they are something so VERY wrong in society. Here are a number of factors that may have led or directed some or all these individuals to commit these or other crimes. Their not killing people, eating people, sexually assualting or raping people - these I’d classify as animals. Either way people have rights too even criminals ... it’s not for them but it’s to those of us that live, thrive and contribute to society, learn from our mistakes and grow to keep ALL of us from falling down to dark times.

Have you not read the bible, Shakespeare or even Lord of The Flies? All I’ve said is pretty much explained in each.

Yes we want justice served yet don’t let yourself become closer to them by classifying them as animals when you really know nothing about them beyond the crime committed. After all this IS a crime ring which shows some form of planning or intelligence to plan and has. Even going on for long.

 

[usarioclave]

Here's a saying that's appropriate here:

"We only catch the dumb ones..."

The smartest thieves charge .5% and put their client's money in an ETF.

 

[doctor-don]

Today it seems more and more younger people think that they can just take what they want because they don't have it - and they don't want to have a job, either.

 

[alphaod]

You’d think the display models only would have a kill switch of some sort and could be remotely turned into a brick.

They do.

But the parts are worth tons of money. Screens especially and you can't kill switch that.

 

[alphaod]

There are also a scam where a girl goes in an Apple Store. She tells customers if she can borrow their phone because hers is not working and she needs to make a desperate call. She says she will try to put her SIM in the customer’s phone to call her friend. If she is successful she says she can’t get a signal and they need to go outside. Then her accomplice outside steals the customer’s phone from her hand and runs away.

Someone came in the Apple Store the other day asked this. The Genius gave her use of the landline. All of a sudden, oh nevermind, no call needed.

 

[technole]

I went to the only Apple Store in Seoul, South Korea and they have no anti-theft tethers on any merchandise. One of the geniuses that worked there was from Los Angeles, and coined it as a "different experience"

Goes to show how the culture is different, and the store was always packed.

 

[SeattleMoose]

Effectively trapping customers along with the criminals...BRILLIANT!

You just created a scary situation where they just grab and go during business hours to a full blown hostage situation...BRILLIANT!

I know Millennials get triggered by "scary" situations so we'll throw in free iPhones for all those who are part of the collateral damage. Anyone who survives can call their mom. Dude...I was joking Lighten up.

 

[ryanwarsaw]

Maybe you should start a thread asking that very thing since this thread is about a different subject. These criminal acts get passed on to the customer so hang em high I say.

NOTE: for all those ultra sensitive types out there that are going to take my last sentence literally. It’s a figure of speech. Get upset about something that matters.

I am going to guess that Apple has this thing called insurance. That cost is passed on whether they are robbed or not. Some people have some crazy ideas of how Apple could stop the thieves. They simply don't care or try to stop them. It is a bit like what is called "defensive indifference" in baseball. What leaves the store is of no consequence that Apple will let them do it. There would never be a visible security presence or measures in an Apple store. It would ruin the experience.

 

[69Mustang]

How about a revolving door? And a switch or switches behind a counter that stop the door from turning. Maybe even automate it so that the door freezes when devices are removed from their display stands.

Both ideas are bad. Trap desperate criminals in a locked room with scared civilians. You simply endanger innocent customers in an attempt to protect commodity electronics. That makes no sense at all.

 

[Steve686]

I hope all of these 17 "factory defects" never have a chance to prove their defectiveness again.
Apple needs to install bars on the front that can drop down in seconds.
Also bars to block exit thru the back.
Trap the animals until the police/swat team arrive.

No.
Then customers are inside with them.
[doublepost=1538106749][/doublepost]

How about a revolving door? And a switch or switches behind a counter that stop the door from turning. Maybe even automate it so that the door freezes when devices are removed from their display stands.

I’m more for remote kill technology like shopping carts at Walgreens.

Pass a geo-fenced zone with the products and they lock down and become useless. Maybe even an ink dye that will flood the board so no component lab can sold on the black market, also.

 

[ActionableMango]

Where's the finesse? In my day, we would crawl through an air duct after hours and shimmy around lasers.

Not everyone crawling around in an air duct has finesse!

 

[Abazigal]

I am going to guess that Apple has this thing called insurance. That cost is passed on whether they are robbed or not. Some people have some crazy ideas of how Apple could stop the thieves. They simply don't care or try to stop them. It is a bit like what is called "defensive indifference" in baseball. What leaves the store is of no consequence that Apple will let them do it. There would never be a visible security presence or measures in an Apple store. It would ruin the experience.

This.

Back when my mom was working, she would have to carry a briefcase full of cash to the bank every week. Her boss told her in no uncertain terms that if she were ever robbed, to simply surrender the money and not attempt to fight him off. The money was insured anyways, and her life was more important.

Safety first.

 

[Mansu944]

Remember people...corporations don’t pay tax or cover the costs of theft. They pass it on to you. These costs were paid by us. Just like taxes on apple are paid by us.

 

[Steve686]

I am going to guess that Apple has this thing called insurance. That cost is passed on whether they are robbed or not. Some people have some crazy ideas of how Apple could stop the thieves. They simply don't care or try to stop them. It is a bit like what is called "defensive indifference" in baseball. What leaves the store is of no consequence that Apple will let them do it. There would never be a visible security presence or measures in an Apple store. It would ruin the experience.

Visible security as in security personnel?

Well they do staff a couple of guys for security in all black outfits in the Aventura, FL store. And they will engage you if you try to leave with product sans payment. Not sure if they would intervene in a violent ransacking, but the guys don’t look too timid to me.

 

[The Cappy]

Hmm, there are people stupid enough to fall for that? First, she’s literally in a phone store, and has to borrow a customer’s phone? Secondly, who swaps out the SIM first when borrowing someone else’s phone to make a desperate call? Thirdly... Whoever falls for that should win a Darwin Award.

Another person who doesn't understand "Darwin Award."

 

[QCassidy352]

Wonder if they can get three strikes on this? It would serve them right for such a heinous crime

They cannot.

> 500$ yes

It’s over $950, not $500. $950 and below is a misdemeanor.

 

[mabhatter]

You’d think the display models only would have a kill switch of some sort and could be remotely turned into a brick.

Why brick it when it can track the robbers?

It’s not like Apple doesn’t know every serial number put in the Store before it left the warehouse. As soon as the robber pawns it and the mark puts in their iTunes info Apple can figure out where the stolen devices are moving. Put some pins in a map and stake out some places with PIs and criminals aren’t as clever as they think.
[doublepost=1538112414][/doublepost]

Does Apple not brick these devices within minutes/hours of a theft?

Seems like you’ve got to be pretty stupid to risk prison stealing with something that gets turned into a paperweight after stealing?

Because that just causes more violence. If people think the staff have a “magic button” then they’ll start harming the staff. Also, Apple is more interested in the brand than a few iPhones in pawn shops. People paid for the devices and probably didn’t know. Those people are going to buy apps and Apple gets its 30%.

It’s the same reason cell companies were so slow to blacklist phones a decade ago. The stolen device has to be used and someone hasn’t to PAY them for it. The company gets some money from a customer that didn’t know and is replacing a broken device or buying an extra line. It’s doe make you customers to go around accusing people of stealing when they’re giving you money.
[doublepost=1538113292][/doublepost]

When others resort to calling thieves as animals vs the people they are something so VERY wrong in society. Here are a number of factors that may have led or directed some or all these individuals to commit these or other crimes. Their not killing people, eating people, sexually assualting or raping people - these I’d classify as animals. Either way people have rights too even criminals ... it’s not for them but it’s to those of us that live, thrive and contribute to society, learn from our mistakes and grow to keep ALL of us from falling down to dark times.

Have you not read the bible, Shakespeare or even Lord of The Flies? All I’ve said is pretty much explained in each.

Yes we want justice served yet don’t let yourself become closer to them by classifying them as animals when you really know nothing about them beyond the crime committed. After all this IS a crime ring which shows some form of planning or intelligence to plan and has. Even going on for long.

I agree that we should not dehumanize perpetrators. The goal is to punish the actions, and hopefully get them to be useful members of society again.

But smash and grabs like this really are a type of social violence. It’s not just taking stuff, but daring people to challenge them. They “smash and grab” with customers in the store. They’re basically threatening the owners of the store that the robbers will hurt the customers. The store puts up security, the robbers bring crowbars and hammers. The customers see crowbars and hammers, now people get hurt.. then it’s an arms race to steal more violently.

It’s not just “organized shoplifting” they are making serious implied threats and need to be harshly punished for it.

 

[Will.O.Bie]

I know Millennials get triggered by "scary" situations so we'll throw in free iPhones for all those who are part of the collateral damage. Anyone who survives can call their mom. Dude...I was joking Lighten up.

So was I

I don't take these things seriously so I hope you weren't offended.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Seems rather convoluted, why not just start with somebody in the street?
Any links to this actually being a thing?

Search ‘girl borrow phone scam’ and you will see variants of it. It is used for theft, cloning, making expensive international calls etc

 

[ecommerceedward]

I'll take a wild guess... were they of the "YOUTH" persuasion. I would not be surprised if it was a bunch of "YOUTHS".

Just googled it, yep, it's definitely "YOUTHS" at the media likes to put it. Sometimes these "YOUTHS" can be 25, 30, 40 years old.

 

[x86dude]

... and storming Apple Stores in large groups to snatch up products ...

No no.

That was just the regular customers on the day of new iPhones.

 

[jimbo1mcm]

Can Nike turn this into an ad featuring their shoes running out of the store?

 

[fairuz]

I hope those silly people robbed Mac products only. iOS devices have a hardware encryption profile which Apple verifies when signing iOS, since they are Apple Store demos, Apple damn well knows the serials. The minute they try to let Apple sign or restore iOS, they are exposed. Poor guys don't be silly, it's all for nothing.

These features have cut down on smartphone theft a lot, but some criminals still find a way to make money off of the phones somehow. I'm not sure. Maybe selling them to suckers.