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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."

69 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: 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!
    5. 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.
    6. 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.
  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. 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 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
    5. Re:Amazing? by 2phar · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Who says you need bother stealing? Just sell nothing

    6. 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

    7. 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.
    8. 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();
    9. 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.
    10. 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.
  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.
  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 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.
    13. 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.

    14. 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.

    15. 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.

  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. 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.

  11. 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.
  12. 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.

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

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

  14. 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.

  15. 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 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"...

  16. 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."

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. 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"

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

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  22. 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.
  23. 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.

  24. 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.

  25. 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.

  26. 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.

  27. 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".

  28. 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.

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

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

  30. 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
  31. 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.