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Thieves Clear Out NJ Apple Store In 31 Seconds

theodp writes "An amazing surveillance tape of a burglary in progress at a New Jersey Apple Store shows five perps in masks smashing the plate-glass doors at 2:05 a.m., signaling to the security guard that they had a gun, and clearing off the display tables with the efficiency of a Indy 500 pit crew. The take: 23 MacBook Pros, 14 iPhones and 9 iPod touches in 31 seconds flat. Estimated value, based on average selling price: $46,345. No word yet on whether Microsoft's Laptop Hunters have alibis."

117 of 459 comments (clear)

  1. On the bright side... by SpectreBlofeld · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ...Apple has received a million dollars worth of free publicity for the low cost of their insurance deductible.

    1. Re:On the bright side... by Clever7Devil · · Score: 5, Funny

      The joke's on the thieves really. I hear that by the time they made it back to the hideout 13 of those iPhones had cracked displays.

      --
      "By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect 'Hungry.'" -Gary Larson
    2. Re:On the bright side... by e2d2 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes but those iPhones were treated incorrectly by the perpetrators. The one that exploded in the one guy's pants pocket was not supposed to be carried outside of a fashionable case. Everyone knows that sheesh.

    3. Re:On the bright side... by Gerzel · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Low cost?

      Low cost per month but how many months?

      Insurance costs are always looked on as low giving the short term cost but never the accumulated costs.

    4. Re:On the bright side... by RiotingPacifist · · Score: 2, Funny

      god dammit, we all know the SI unit for shit is the Couric

      --
      IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
    5. Re:On the bright side... by RiotingPacifist · · Score: 4, Funny

      I didn't notice them picking up any chargers either, man are they gunna pissed when the batteries run out!

      --
      IranAir Flight 655 never forget!
    6. Re:On the bright side... by think_nix · · Score: 2, Funny

      still though , thats what I call some serious ipwnage

    7. Re:On the bright side... by PopeRatzo · · Score: 3, Funny

      The robbers who cleaned out the Apple store were in such a hurry because it was almost happy hour at the gay bar.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    8. Re:On the bright side... by Psyborgue · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Interestingly enough, the maglock connections probably made them a lot easier to steal without damage.

    9. Re:On the bright side... by Bobartig · · Score: 2, Informative

      The insertion force of a power adapter, magsafe or no, is not much compared to that of an ethernet jack, which they forcibly yanked out of place for each portable. The damage from the power connector comes when the portable falls to the ground, and impacts on the jack, forcing the DC input to come apart from the DC-in circuitry of the power stage. When you are pulling, the likelyhood of damage is minimal, since this is not really different from removing the power adapter the normal way, that is, pulling on the cord end.

      --
      This is where I get my recommended daily allowance of "Foot in Mouth."
    10. Re:On the bright side... by Psyborgue · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The insertion force of a power adapter, magsafe or no, is not much compared to that of an ethernet jack, which they forcibly yanked out of place for each portable.

      Why would the Apple store use ethernet when each mac has built in wireless? I've visited quite a few apple stores and I can't recall Ethernet cables sticking out of the sides of their laptops. It would be unsightly and Apple is very concerned about appearances. Heck. If they were going to use ethernet they might as well have plugged in a Kingston lock (on the right side close to the ethernet on my MBP).

      The damage from the power connector comes when the portable falls to the ground, and impacts on the jack, forcing the DC input to come apart from the DC-in circuitry of the power stage. When you are pulling, the likelyhood of damage is minimal, since this is not really different from removing the power adapter the normal way, that is, pulling on the cord end.

      Sure. If you pull the cables straight out, regardless of connector, there is little likelihood of damage. But if you pull at an angle, I can see the power connector on either the adapter or the laptop getting bent out of shape. You might not like Apple as a brand, but due to the number of times a relative, friend, or pet has yanked my power cord out of my MBP in all sorts of directions I am very thankful for the maglock feature. My previous laptop (a dell running linux) died and early death because of a bent power connector on the motherboard due to that sort of thing.

    11. Re:On the bright side... by Ihmhi · · Score: 2, Funny

      I live in New Jersey, and I didn't even know we had an Apple Store. I didn't think my state was hip enough.

    12. Re:On the bright side... by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why would the Apple store use ethernet when each mac has built in wireless?

      Interference. Put two laptops within a couple meters of each other and you'll notice it. I can't imagine how bad it would get with 3 or 4...Also, bandwidth.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
    13. Re:On the bright side... by Posting=!Working · · Score: 2, Insightful

      A physical description of some guy selling a laptop out of the trunk of a car off Route 22 isn't going to help much, and if they're pros there's no way they're selling these themselves.

      What you're describing is how the really stupid thieves get caught. The ones who have any kind of brains would fence them.

      People who buy brand new laptops out of car trunks generally know that calling the manufacturer is the same as admitting you bought stolen goods and asking if they could please send an officer around to take away the new laptop they just bought.

      --
      This sentence no verb.
    14. Re:On the bright side... by jellomizer · · Score: 3, Funny

      Probably however if Apple was really smart they woudln't have put an Apple Store in New Jersey... What where they thinking.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    15. Re:On the bright side... by Steve+Franklin · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm still trying to figure out the proper method to get the Apple salesman to tear himself away from the young blond long enough to talk to me. Guess I'll have to stick with my new home-built AMD X4 machine.

      --
      Hic iacet Arthurus, rex quondam rexque futurus.
  2. ObComment by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apple Store's next product release: iRobbed.

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:ObComment by Afforess · · Score: 3, Funny

      istore robbery? We've got an App for that.

      --
      If our elected representatives no longer represent us, do we still live in a Democracy?
    2. Re:ObComment by Mauzl · · Score: 5, Funny

      I expect the price Apple sets for iRobbed will be iWayrobbery.

    3. Re:ObComment by Gandalf_Greyhame · · Score: 2, Funny

      It had better be durable enough to withstand the chafing of hard plastic and metal because everyone knows that the only things Apple users like to make love to are their Apple products.

      We also love your mum. However, unlike your mum, my Mac has no viruses, infections or diseases

      --
      I am not stubborn. I am right!
    4. Re:ObComment by SpaceLifeForm · · Score: 2, Funny

      iSnatch may have better sales.

      --
      You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
  3. Amazing? by sleeponthemic · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I don't know whether my idea of criminality standards are just a bit higher, but when I watched that video I wasn't the slightest bit "amazed" by it. What's so amazing about filling your arms / pockets full of merchandise and getting the fok out of there? I'd like to think that all of us are smart enough to "mastermind" a crime such as that.

    --
    I record my sleeptalking
    1. Re:Amazing? by clarkn0va · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I'd like to think that most of us are smart enough to not commit such a crime as that.

      --
      I am literally 3000 tokens away from the chaotic crossbow --Stephen
    2. Re:Amazing? by Shakrai · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah. And the way they were slapping them closed and handling them, I'd be surprised if a few screens and drives didn't work well after this. It'll make it hard to fence them.

      Because people who buy stolen property from the back of a van are known for thoroughly testing it first?

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    3. Re:Amazing? by zygotic+mitosis · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Totally. I bet they could have saved two seconds if they'd have ran to the back of the store first, snapping up the merch as they made their escape through the point of entry, rather than lugging full armloads through from the back.

    4. Re:Amazing? by mysidia · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Who says bad guys use the back of a stolen van?

      In these days... I expect... One word: eBay.

    5. Re:Amazing? by iron-kurton · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Even though we are so much smarter than these neanderthal criminal guys, we still have to look up the definition of money laundering in a dictionary.

      --
      Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine -- Robert C. Gallagher
    6. Re:Amazing? by 2phar · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Who says you need bother stealing? Just sell nothing

    7. Re:Amazing? by this+great+guy · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yo bro, thanks for the tip bro. We'll do it this way next time. -Tomi

    8. Re:Amazing? by agnosticnixie · · Score: 2, Funny

      I suddenly feel like a moron for wasting my time trying to find/keep legit or even grey-area work... wtf

    9. Re:Amazing? by veganboyjosh · · Score: 2, Informative

      Looks from the video, though, that they each traveled in a horseshoe shaped path, clearing off both sides of the tables. If you're just doing that in one pass, you're gonna miss one side of the table/half the score you would from a there and back trip.

    10. Re:Amazing? by White+Shade · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Maybe you make that in a month, but for someone making minimum wage, 5k is half a years worth of after-tax pay. Heck, even after a healthy raise, 5k is almost 3 months after-tax wages for me too...

      $5k is an awful lot of money when you're earning less than $8 an hour. I don't ever want to risk going to jail, but I can completely understand why the equation might go the other way for someone. Especially in a situation like this where unless another security camera caught an image of their getaway car, or somehow someone catches them fencing the merchandise, the risk level is pretty darn low overall.

      --
      ìì!
    11. Re:Amazing? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      You should make sure to be specific if you order this one.

    12. Re:Amazing? by DigiShaman · · Score: 4, Insightful

      There was a sudden global drop in IQ, and millions of geeks cried out in terror!

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    13. Re:Amazing? by astacom · · Score: 2, Funny

      Beware of too much involvement with magic. I have a feeling that it can make your caps lock key get stuck.

      Also, make sure that you're patient. You don't want to end up like sweetcouplebang68, who commented:

      SCAM.. NOTHING WORKS.... ONLY SWEET TALKS.. DON'T GET CHEATED

      energy_by_teresa replied:

      NEWBIE EBAYER, NEVER GAVE SPELL A CHANCE, VERY NEGATIVE TO WORK WITH,BUT I TRIED

      Scanning further on in the comments, more from sweetcouplebang68:

      Nothing happens..Not even 0.001 of the spell work..I suspect this is a SCAM

      energy_by_teresa:

      NVER GAVE IT ANY TIME, VERY NEGATIVE PERSON, NOT QUITE SURE ANYONE CAN HELP

      All she is saaaaaaying...is give magickque a chance.

    14. Re:Amazing? by rtfa-troll · · Score: 4, Funny

      You expressed my thoughts perfectly. I don't have any mod points, so I bought you a "mod you up" spell. It should begin to take effect within 30 days. I'm afraid I haven't had a mail yet, but it's such a powerful spell that I'm sure that she'll be "completely drained" for the next several days.

      --
      =~ s,(.*),<sarcasm>$1</sarcasm>,g if any_point_you_wish();
    15. Re:Amazing? by Jedi+Alec · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Do not meddle in the affairs of ebay wizards...for they are powerful and quick to anger.

      Besides, there's plenty of people on this planet willing to pay good money for a little sweet talk.

      --

      People replying to my sig annoy me. That's why I change it all the time.
    16. Re:Amazing? by mqduck · · Score: 4, Insightful

      intelligence != morality

      I'll probably get modded down as a troll or something for this, but...

      morality != respecting property laws (necessarily)

      Most people would disagree, but a respectable argument could be made that stealing from a wealthy corporation is morally neutral.

      --
      Property is theft.
    17. Re:Amazing? by mckinnsb · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Which makes me wonder...

      We seem to be able to observe that the thieves are intelligent - clearly, theft happens on a daily basis and only truly spectacular examples of it ever make it to the press. We can also be assured of their intelligence through certain elements of their technique - they perhaps, for instance, knew that the Magsafe adapters would make the laptops easy to snag, and that fragments from the front glass door would not harm them (allowing the brick thrower to run full tilt at the door before hurling the brick).

      However, the logical conclusion that most Slashdotters seem to be drawing - that the thieves are stealing the laptops to sell them on the black market - contradicts this observation. Which makes me wonder: maybe they aren't planning on selling them, really. They only stole 50k worth of equipment. Maybe they really wanted the *just the laptops* themselves *to use* in a quiet area where Apple will never notice - like, their respective basements.

      For the record, I'm not insinuating that these people are terrorists - but what I am insinuating, is perhaps we have seen 'nerd theft'. A low probability, but I think its plausible, and I thought it would be interesting to mention.

    18. Re:Amazing? by kurzweilfreak · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Just think how much the Catholic church is raking in for basically the same thing...

      --

      kurzweil_freak

      5th Kyu Genbukan Ninpo/KJJR student

      Be the darkness that allows the light to shine.

  4. Yes, but by xZgf6xHx2uhoAj9D · · Score: 4, Funny

    On the plus side, that $46345 of Apple hardware was only worth about $10000.

    1. Re:Yes, but by Kratisto · · Score: 5, Funny

      HEY! Apple's hardware is made to a higher standard. My Macbook is a luxury computer. It's the Ferrari of laptops... Not the engine, but... like... the logo.

      --
      Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.
    2. Re:Yes, but by bertoelcon · · Score: 2, Funny

      Yeah Apple is more like the Hummer of laptops, everyone who buys one wants to overpay again and again.

      --
      Anything can be found funny, from a certain point of view.
  5. Well, the ads do say "Get a Mac", not "Buy..." by daybot · · Score: 5, Funny

    Some thieves broke into my college's computer labs and stole all the four-year-old iMacs. They turned their noses up at the brand new Dell Precisions in the same lab...

    1. Re:Well, the ads do say "Get a Mac", not "Buy..." by NoYob · · Score: 4, Funny
      That's because the thieves went up to their ratings site and saw this under the Dell entry:

      Machine sucked. Couldn't handle the snatch and grab. Would not steal again! F----------!

      --
      It's NOT me! It's the meds! I'm on 1000mg of Fukitol.
  6. That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by EWAdams · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Using a gun in the commission of a felony usually gets you extra jail time... and these guys did this for $46,000 worth of gear, which probably has a value of about $3000 with a fence?

    If all I'm gonna get is $3000, I might as well... oh, I dunno, WORK for the money and not have the years in jail.

    --
    I piss off bigots.
    1. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Clever7Devil · · Score: 4, Funny

      Good thing they didn't shoot the guard though. Bet the judge would have given them iLife.

      --
      "By the time they had diminished from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began to suspect 'Hungry.'" -Gary Larson
    2. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Shakrai · · Score: 3, Informative

      Well the made the Security Guard think they had a gun to scare him. Where they did or not would be hard to prove unless it was caught on camera.

      The law often doesn't make a distinction between making your victim think you have a deadly weapon and actually possessing one.

      --
      I want peace on earth and goodwill toward man.
      We are the United States Government! We don't do that sort of thing.
    3. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by SashaMan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Mod parent up. If you're going to commit a felony that will result in significant jail time, at least rob a bank or a high end jewelery store. Instead they steal an easily tracked, serial-numbered product with a ridiculously low fence-to-retail value. Furthermore, their crime is newsworthy enough ("Look at those shiny macbooks disappear!") that they manage to get coverage on major websites and news outlets.

      Finally, they incur the wrath of apple fanboys everywhere now determined to track them down: "Did you see how they handled those MacBooks! They might even have scratched the case!!!"

    4. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by LurkerXXX · · Score: 4, Funny

      WORK for the money and not have the years in jail.

      Nah, they aren't worried about spending too much time in jail. Last week they stole some iPhones and found out how easy it is to jailbreak.

    5. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by nomadic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Finally, they incur the wrath of apple fanboys everywhere now determined to track them down: "Did you see how they handled those MacBooks! They might even have scratched the case!!!"

      What are the fanboys going to do? Throw their frappuccinos at them? Picture a bunch of apple fanboys trying to intimidate you. You just giggled out loud, right? I mean, we're not exactly talking offensive linemen here...

    6. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Falconhell · · Score: 4, Funny

      "ass rapings. You know, from using the Macs."

      They have the rounded corners, to make that slightly less painful.

      Always thinking of the user Apple....

    7. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by AmberBlackCat · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If I remember correctly, the weapons of mass destruction situation was different. That would be more like you telling me I have a gun in my pocket, me denying it, and you beating me up even though I don't have it.

    8. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Dachannien · · Score: 3, Funny

      Or better yet, the iChair.

    9. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Stiletto · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Trouble is, it's fairly easy for even a public defender to get a jury to the reasonable doubt point on the matter.

      I wouldn't call that "trouble". That's the whole point of the system. The government SHOULD have to prove something beyond reasonable doubt before they are allowed to force someone into prison (where they are likely to be assaulted, raped, and possibly killed). I thank my lucky stars that I live in a place where, at least in theory, I can't have my life ruined simply because some cop with a grudge thinks I might have had a gun in my pocket.

    10. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Dun+Malg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      $3000 in 31 seconds is $351,000 an hour.

      No, your math is based on incorrect assumptions. That's like saying a custom-crafted software application earns the writer $50K/hr because you paid $25K for it and it took 30 minutes to install--- even though it took 2 months to write
      For a crime like this, you need to include the time spent planning, fencing, and then looking over your shoulder for the next 10 years (or sitting in jail 5 years if you're caught)... and also divide by the number of people doing it.

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    11. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Dun+Malg · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Bank? Banks don't have money. Why do people think banks still have money? Even the ATMs are usually filled from preloaded cartridges brought in armored cars. THe bank itself has maybe $20K in cash, plus one of those exploding dye packets, plus a "panic button" that sends the cops in immediately. Banks haven't been a good target since late 60's, when everything started to go electronic.

      --
      If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.
    12. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by ajlisows · · Score: 2, Insightful

      I know this has more to do with kids and the lash back from the Columbine thing, but even toy guns have gotten people in trouble at some points in time. Here is one and and this one more extreme that ended up with a child getting shot by police. (I don't really know about these news sources, but I seem to remember stories like these and I didn't want to spend too much time looking.

      I think there are a good deal of cases like this. The second story is tragic but sadly, I can see where the police were coming from. If you tell someone to drop something you believe is a gun and they point it at you...well...you don't have much time to make a decision.

      My point is, the treat of a gun will probably be treated as a gun even if there was not one present.

    13. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by BronsCon · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'd go so far as to say...

      GP was pointing out that, because they are black, they may have a harder time finding jobs (though, Jobs might just find them, after this). I doubt GP would be so brazen as to say because they are black they don't WANT jobs.

      I mean, they stole Macbooks. They want Jobs. Very much.

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    14. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by beingthebest · · Score: 2, Insightful

      My Daddy was a cop. He always told us all, if you are going to steal, steal big, the penalty is about the same.

    15. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by Eil · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Mod parent up. If you're going to commit a felony that will result in significant jail time, at least rob a bank or a high end jewelery store.

      Banks are nearly impossible to rob and get away with (unless it's an inside job and then you can really only do it once).

      Jewelry doesn't have that high a black-market or second-hand value. I don't know this from experience, but just look at craigslist and ebay. All the engagement rings that sold for thousands of dollars retail get pawned second-hand for an order of magnitude less. Plus jewelry stores are harder to rob since almost all of them are in well-secured shopping malls these days.

      Second-hand Apple products on eBay, however, fetch almost what you'd pay retail for brand-new ones. Couple that with the incredibly weak physical security of most Apple stores and it's hard to think of a more tempting target.

    16. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by L4t3r4lu5 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Almost, It's more like us saying you have a gun in your pocket, you saying that you don't have a gun, the parts for a gun, letting you look in my trousers for the gun, or the parts for a gun, and then beating you up because you didn't let us grab your junk while looking for the gun.

      --
      Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
    17. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by drsquare · · Score: 4, Insightful

      A better analogy would be me selling you a gun, then accusing you of being armed and running you over in my tank.

      Then killing a hundred thousand people.

      And still not finding your gun.

    18. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by jimicus · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Mod parent up. If you're going to commit a felony that will result in significant jail time, at least rob a bank or a high end jewelery store.

      I guess it depends where you are, but certainly in the UK most bank robberies don't net that kind of money. Largely because the cashiers only have a certain amount of cash immediately on hand - most of it's in a safe which you have to punch in a code and then wait some time before it will open.

      This is why you often have to give the bank some notice before you withdraw a large amount of cash.

      Most jewellers aren't much easier - and the value of most jewellery is actually pretty terrible. The main reason it costs so much from the jeweller is DeBeer's marketing.

      I don't think any sort of armed robbery is a particularly useful thing to do professionally. You either target places with very valuable things to steal - in which case security will be tight and in order to make a decent living at it you'll have to rob so much that you'll draw attention to yourself sooner rather than later - or you target places with less valuable things with lower security. In which case you'll never earn any real money of any sort.

    19. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by 4phun · · Score: 5, Insightful

      My Daddy was a cop. He always told us all, if you are going to steal, steal big, the penalty is about the same.

      Good ole Bernie proved this to be true, didn't he. Has anyone ever scored more than he did? He scored big for what, few short years in jail before he dies? All those years living large probably filled him with enough memories to last several life times. Wouldn't those memories make Bernie's time a lot easier to do than the time given to urban ghetto punks like these.

    20. Re:That's pathetic! They get dumber every day. by qubezz · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yup, my roommate wanted to cash a $25000 check, the bank had to order the money and call him when it came in. Money is much more profitable when it is imaginary numbers in computers earning interest than paper in vaults in bank branches.

  7. Yeah, but- by FlyingSquidStudios · · Score: 5, Funny

    if they were smart, they would have stolen AppleCare too. It's a really good value.

  8. Upgrade cost by hessian · · Score: 4, Funny

    And will cost $52,838 to upgrade in another eight months.

  9. It wasn't a robbery! by Anonymous+Cowar · · Score: 4, Funny

    It was a beta test of the Apple's new Rapid Acquisition System. They're about to roll it out for use in providing businesses with their computing needs. Apple: Breaking down barriers and plate glass doors.

  10. Stupid by ShooterNeo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Committing an armed robbery with a firearm has sent people to prison for 75 years or more. That's not the average sentence, but the criminal justice system is like a slot machine. Not worth it for a 1/5 share of 20k or less..

  11. Gone in 31 seconds by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Interesting
    They got iphones there... How much time till they get located by GPS like in this case.

    Not sure if still unsold iphones are somewhat in MobileMe or something like that as extra security.

    1. Re:Gone in 31 seconds by codeonezero · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I haven't really checked out how they set up iPhones on display, but back when I worked at an Apple Store, every Mac on the floor room had a @mac.com that identified it to the store. Considering these are display/demo iPhones I wouldn't be surprised if they were active and on MobileMe. So these criminals although fast probably aren't very clever. So assuming they're activated, Apple could already have a general idea of where the criminals are and relayed the info to local authorities.

      --

      ....
      int main (void) { ... }

  12. Unemployment in New Jersey 9.6% by NoYob · · Score: 5, Insightful
    With all those retired folks having lost much of their retirement in the stock market (wtf were retired or soon to be retired folks STILL in the market is beyond me), they have gone back to work: flipping burgers, retail, and other jobs that usually younger folks take - employers prefer older workers because they have a work ethic - usually.. Hence the reason why the unemployment rate among teenagers and early 20 somethings are well into the double digits.

    Add in their race, which looks like African American from the video, that adds quite a few more points on to their unemployment issues - for various reasons that I won't get into and which we all know.

    Now, I'm by no means condoning what they did: I'm just trying to promote some understanding. When folks get desperate, they do desperate things. Just getting a job, for many, is not an option - especially in one of the worst economies in decades.

    There are some doing to support substance abuse, which being an addict precludes employment. They need help.

    Now, there's the crowd that does this shit because "it's cool". They're just punks they should get their asses shot off.

    --
    It's NOT me! It's the meds! I'm on 1000mg of Fukitol.
    1. Re:Unemployment in New Jersey 9.6% by timeOday · · Score: 2, Interesting

      With all those retired folks having lost much of their retirement in the stock market (wtf were retired or soon to be retired folks STILL in the market is beyond me),

      It's hard to remember how people talked in different times, isn't it:

      Smart asset management
      March 6, 2000: 6:08 p.m. ET
      Expert suggests a combination of stocks and bonds as an ideal strategy

      With ten years before you retire, you still have a fairly long time horizon. While there is never a guarantee, the odds are well in your favor that a heavy exposure to equities will pay off handsomely. Think how you would feel if you had missed out on the last ten years in the market.

      But as you approach retirement you probably will want to scale back to your preferred retirement asset allocation.

      Even if you were going to retire tomorrow, you still might be wise to hold at least 50 to 60 percent of your plan in stocks. With earlier retirement, longer life expectancies, and persistent inflation, the retiree must invest to supply both a reliable income and a hedge against inflation. Stocks alone could be far too volatile. Bonds alone will not generate enough total return. But a combination of stocks and bonds offers the highest probability of meeting both needs successfully.

  13. Magsafe by Mike610544 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Good think those Macbooks have the magsafe connector for the power cord. Those thieves could have been looking at some costly repairs if they had been stealing Dells. Maybe that's their next commercial: "I stole a PC, but when I grabbed it the power connector broke, now it's like BEEP, BEEP, BEEP."

    --
    ... also, I can kill you with my brain.
  14. iStupid by CommanderEl · · Score: 3, Funny

    Why did I assume when I read the title of the post, that someone had cleared out and ninja'ed the App store on my iPhone. So I immediately checked to see if it was still there, in my iPhone. Owning apple products turns you into stupid.

  15. smash by beckett · · Score: 4, Funny

    Once again, a dramatic demonstration of Windows failure. I'm getting a little tired of these attack ads.

  16. quick release power connectors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Steve Jobs notes the quick release power connectors, making the job up to 3 times faster than a PC.

  17. You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by RalphBNumbers · · Score: 5, Funny

    Quoth CNN's article:

    The magsafe cords detached instantly, offering no resistance and leaving power sockets undamaged.

    Finally, the stiff unibody shells meant that the villains could grab the notebooks one-handed from a corner with no flexing, and no risk to the internal circuitry, the tough aluminum bodies resisting the jostling clanks inside the sacks.

    And so we see that it is true that Apple really does design for the end-user, with small efficiencies that all add up. Thanks to Apple, the scoundrels managed to load up their booty 23 Macbook Pros, 14 iPhones and nine iPod Touches in just 31 seconds.

    MacBooks: Laptops for a better class of criminal!

    --
    "The worst tyrannies were the ones where a governance required its own logic on every embedded node." - Vernor Vinge
    1. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      I'm guessing all the display model serial numbers are recorded. First time someone attempts to sync with iTunes, the device locks itself and displays the message that it is stolen property and should be returned to the hive mind...

      You've got JAIL!!!!

    2. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by e9th · · Score: 2

      Sorry. Atonement for hasty moderation.

    3. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by Achromatic1978 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Wow. What an asset you'd make to the detective force. "I'd start by looking for the items that were stolen"...

    4. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by jonbryce · · Score: 2, Insightful

      And surely Apple is going to know what the serial numbers of the machines are?

    5. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by bemymonkey · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You're aware that there is security cam footage of this heist, right? Watch it.

    6. Re:You're not kidding, check out CNN's take by sonicmerlin · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You *still* haven't watched the full video, have you? *facepalm*

  18. The newscaster's commentary made my brain bleed. by jpstanle · · Score: 5, Funny

    He talks about the burglars being "savvy enough to wear masks" and being able to distracting an unarmed security guard. Last time I checked, these sorts of tactics qualified as being "not retarded," but not quite "criminal mastermind."

  19. A more useful URL to the start of the action... by JasonB · · Score: 4, Informative

    Skips over the newscaster BLAH BLAH BLAH:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qER69SvyYV8#t=0m48s

  20. Maybe Apple will be smart by mysidia · · Score: 2, Interesting

    And have a list of serial numbers of stolen units...

    And blacklist them from being able to install new versions of Apple software.

    And make them automatically send phone-home messages to Apple and get bricked the next time a software update is attempted. With a message that says "Please bring to your nearest Apple store for service"

    1. Re:Maybe Apple will be smart by sc7 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Another reason to avoid Apple's ecosystem. Sure, I hope these thieves do get caught, and it would be fine if that happened. But the fact that they could have the ability to do that because they control the whole product is quite disconcerting.

  21. No bars behind the glass? by whereiswaldo · · Score: 2, Informative

    I can't remember the last time I saw an electronics store that doesn't have a retractable security gate (bars):

      http://www.securityshuttersolutions.co.uk/retractable_gates.html

    That would have at least cost the thieves some time and not make it so "knife through warm butter" easy.

    1. Re:No bars behind the glass? by Jeremy+Erwin · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Probably for aesthetic reasons. Apple should have specced shatter proof glass. In fact, that's probably why the laptops were left unsecured in the store-- to tempt people into visiting during normal working hours.

    2. Re:No bars behind the glass? by michaelwv · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Yes, they are concerned. The stores are continual advertisements. Marketing would be horrified if they looked barricaded and unfriendly after hours.

    3. Re:No bars behind the glass? by paul248 · · Score: 2, Funny

      They just need to cover the steel bars with a matte black cloth, topped with a gently pulsing white light.

  22. Re:No security cables by Jeremy+Erwin · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Most people who buy laptops aren't going to be tethered to a desk. A big honking security cage or even a simple security cable prevents a prospective buyer from getting a feel for how portable the laptop is. Perhaps Apple should follow the lead of jewelry stores, and lock up its merchandise after hours. To be fair, most jewelry stores are designed with this closing procedure in mind, whereas most at most Apple stores, the laptops would have to be stored in back room-- which may not be more secure in any meaningful way

  23. I was amazed by Chuck+Chunder · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Mostly I was amazed that the window broke so thoroughly. I'd have thought that it would have some film on it or other treatment that would make it somewhat resistant to such an attack.

    --
    Boffoonery - downloadable Comedy Benefit for Bletchley Park
    1. Re:I was amazed by michaelwv · · Score: 3, Informative

      The windows are supposed to break like that. The windows break into thousands of surprisingly unsharp pieces. It's for the opposite case of getting out of the store in case of emergency or just in general making breaking a window not as potentially lethal.

  24. Labor Day Sale! by chicago_scott · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's a Blowout Labor Day Mac Sale on newjersey.craigslist.org! If you miss this, you'd better be dead... or in jail... and if you're in jail, BREAK OUT!

  25. Re:Elementary, my dear Watson by agnosticnixie · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If it was a private Garda-type employee, chances are it's less "in on it" and more "fuck I'm not paid enough to risk my life for peanuts in the inventory"

  26. Re:MobileMe? by KylePflug · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You can disable location services on the phone (or even just the "Find my iPhone" feature), at which point MobileMe doesn't work. Alternatively, they could have just turned the phones off.

  27. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  28. I've heard this one before by Minwee · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm just waiting for one of the thieves to return to the same store trying to get service for one of the stolen computers.

    1. Re:I've heard this one before by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 2, Funny

      I used to work in Two Guys in NJ back in the 70s. Thieves actually walked out the door with a freakin' canoe. And they'd have gotten away with it, if they hadn't come back for the oars. Dumb shits.

      --
      Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
  29. Re:Too bad by ta+bu+shi+da+yu · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well... no, it sucks for the reseller. Or if the reseller is smart, then it sucks for the insurance company.

    --
    XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
  30. Re:"Perps?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    When you refer to an individual that "perpetrated" a crime, without knowing who they are, perp[etrator] is the proper term to use. We don't suspect that these guys robbed that store - we know they did - now to find them.

    However, when the cops finally pick up a person they "suspect" perpetrated the crime, they are a suspect.

  31. Someone's head is going to roll...... by iq+in+binary · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As someone who works for a computer store............

    I hope to god someone gets canned for this. There were so many ways to prevent this that cost maybe 1/4 of the value of the merchandise stolen. Laminated glass instead of plate on the doors, Kensington locks, or even just locking the product up in a cage or safe after hours. One of the most important rules of retail is control of the product. Further more, you can see that they don't even have pylons in the front of the store to prevent someone driving their car through the glass. The guard wasn't armed, either.

    If these machines were insured, there is no way in hell an agent would approve the claim. Those products were pretty much offered up on a platter. I have worked for several retailers, most of them computer stores, and I have NEVER seen a laptop whether Mac or PC without a Kensington lock on a sales floor.

    --
    Of all the Universal Constants, here's one I know: Nice guys finish last ;)
    1. Re:Someone's head is going to roll...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your post is a great illustration of why Apple Stores beat the pants off most computer stores in terms of revenue per square foot. You're all worked up about so-called "loss prevention" that you've forgotten about getting people to actually buy the stuff. Apple Stores have been operating for how many years and this is the first one that's been hit like this? Meanwhile locking the product away after hours so nobody can see it would have cost Apple far more than a piddling $45,000 in profit over that time.

      The goal in retail is to make money, not to prevent theft. Theft prevention is simply one way to achieve that goal. Every security measure you take must be weighed against potential lost sales. Some of your advice would make little difference, like laminated glass, but pylons and locked-up merchandise are extremely unfriendly and are likely to backfire in terms of profitability.

    2. Re:Someone's head is going to roll...... by Falconhell · · Score: 2, Informative

      I am surprised it is legal to use plate glass in a door or street level window, it is illegal to fit in such locations here in .au.

    3. Re:Someone's head is going to roll...... by mdwh2 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Apple Stores have been operating for how many years and this is the first one that's been hit like this?

      You think this is the first?

      Believe it or not, stores getting robbed isn't international news headlines. Even when it's Apple.

      And I love how you twist the expense of their products as being a good thing - of course they make a lot of revenue per square foot.

  32. Re:The newscaster's commentary made my brain bleed by demonlapin · · Score: 3, Informative

    Remarkably simple, actually. Just needs a sharp point impact. Check out the devices sold for breaking car windows "in case your car falls into the water".

  33. Cost of merchandise vs. cost of glass by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I can tell you as an Architect, the cost of replacing the window will more than outweigh the cost of the computers for Apple.

  34. Apple Security by nukem996 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've always said Apple has poor security. Look who's laughing now!!!!

  35. Windows FAIL by lindseyp · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well it was catastrophic Windows FAIL that let the crooks into the secure area in the first place!

    --
    j'ai découvert une démonstration vraiment admirable (de ce théorème général) que cette si
  36. News?? by invisik · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When was a robbery of a retail store news? Maybe because they got footage of the whole thing it became sensational--so naturally to have to air it then.

    Real story should be "Security guard fired when robbers smash large glass door just as he leaves the room." How could the guard not hear that? Sounds like an inside job to me.

    -m

    --
    http://www.invisik.com
  37. example usa news report? by hitmark · · Score: 2, Funny

    if thats a prime example of a usa news report, no wonder the nation is "weird"...

    --
    comment first, facts later. http://chem.tufts.edu/AnswersInScience/RelativityofWrong.htm
  38. Apple: Big Target by RRcGoose · · Score: 4, Interesting

    On a serious note, Apple products do seem to be a big item for theft. Just this week I experienced being part of an Apple targeted crime. On Wednesday, my father went to the local Apple Store and picked up a Macbook Pro for me (Because Apple won't ship to an overseas military address, but that's another story...). He took it back to the car, made sure it was well hidden in the trunk, and proceeded to the gym to work out. As he came out an hour-and-a-half later, security was surrounding the car and what was left of the back passenger window. By the looks of things, the thieves knew exactly where in the car the laptop was hidden and were only interested in it. Best guess is that they saw him coming out of the mall and followed him from there. His own laptop, two cameras, and briefcase were all untouched. The thieves were in and out in less than ten seconds. This is actually the second MacPro that I've bought, and apparently the second to be stolen. The first was sent through the black hole that is USPS and has yet to be seen. I'd bet a paycheck that someone else is enjoying it right now.

  39. $50k/hr for fencing huh? by Myrcutio · · Score: 2, Funny

    you need to include the time spent planning, fencing, and then looking over your shoulder

    I spent 5 hours last week fencing, and all i have to show for it is a bunch of bruises and a broken sabre. Where's my $250,000?

  40. They'll probably sell them on eBay by sjbe · · Score: 2, Interesting

    What you're describing is how the really stupid thieves get caught. The ones who have any kind of brains would fence them.

    In all likelihood they'll end up on eBay if the thieves aren't caught soon. The amount of stolen good on eBay is rather astonishing. Sometimes I think eBay should be called eFence.