Crime blotter: Still no reported arrests in Burlingame Apple Store thefts

In the latest Apple Crime Blotter, French tourists get violent looking for stolen AirPods, a returned iPhone is replaced with a Nokia, and iPads disappear from Minnesota schools during the pandemic.

The latest in an occasional AppleInsider feature, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.

No arrests yet in Burlingame Apple Store theft

More than a week after five suspects stole $100,000 worth of product from a California Apple Store and fled in a BMW, there have been no reports yet of arrests in the case.

That particular Apple Store has been robbed many times, including once in 2019.

This is also the case for the April incident in Washington state, in which burglars cut through the wall of an adjacent business and stole $500,000 worth of items from the Alderwood Mall Apple store.

"Thousands" of iPads, and laptops disappeared from Minneapolis/St. Paul schools

Schools in the Twin Cities area in Minnesota have lost track of "thousands" of iPads and laptops, at the cost of millions of dollars, Fox 9 reported at the end of October. Most of the devices were handed out to facilitate e-learning during the pandemic.

In the Minneapolis Public Schools alone, per the report, 68 iPads have gone missing, along with more than 5,000 Chromebooks. One suburban district, Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan, has lost 1,174 iPads since 2019.

iCloud evidence used against man accused of stealing $1 million watch at strip club

A man has been arrested for stealing a $1 million, custom-made watch from its owner at a Miami strip club called The Booby Trap on the River. According to WSVN, the Richard Mille watch was stolen as part of a "coordinated distraction-style robbery and theft."

The accused thief was later identified in surveillance footage, while police also obtained access to his iCloud account, which they say contained photographs of him wearing the stolen watch.

iPhone trade-in is stolen, replaced with a Nokia

A Baltimore man tried to return his iPhone 13 Pro to AT&T, to purchase an iPhone 14 Pro. But two weeks later, he received a package with a letter, purportedly from AT&T, stating that "we're unable to complete your return because it was the incorrect device," and that they were returning it.

But instead of the old iPhone, the package contained a Nokia Cingular wireless phone.

According to WMAR, similar letters have been sent to others who tried to return modern phones to AT&T, and AT&T has agreed to credit his account for the promotional amount.

French tourists in Spain arrested after chasing stolen AirPods

A group of tourists from France who were vacationing in Spain were robbed of AirPods, an iPad, and cash. Then, they tracked the stolen devices to a residential address, beat up an alleged thief, and found the AirPods.

SUR in English explains the 13 French tourists were told by the owner of the home that he had bought the AirPods from someone else, and then led them to that man. At that point, the tourists beat up that man and stole 25 luxury watches from him.

Police eventually arrived and arrested all of the French tourists.

MacBook Air, iPhones stolen from man by woman he met at a club

A Brooklyn man who met a woman at a club had his MacBook Air, two iPhones, his wallet and other items stolen by the woman, WPIX reported.

The woman, described as a "blonde bandit," disappeared from the apartment during the night, the report said.

iPad tracking lead to arrest of man accused of stealing U-Haul

A 51-year-old Texas man was arrested in Arkansas in late October and charged with stealing a U-Haul truck, which contained $30,000 worth of musical equipment. According to Hotsr, the man was caught after law enforcement tracked an iPad that was in the vehicle.

Police caught up with the man at a bank, and first arrested him for driving on a suspended license. He was later charged with two felony counts of theft by receiving over $25,000.

MacBooks, Apple Watch stolen from woman's apartment

A woman in Jonesboro, Ark., woke up in the middle of the night to find a man in her apartment, NEA Report said. The man claimed he was "looking for Ronnie in room 628," and when she told him he had the wrong room, he left.

When the woman woke up in the morning, two MacBooks and an Apple Watch were missing. The suspect left in a red convertible, the report said.