Apple Crime blotter: Tracked iPad helps catch kids who stole their teacher's car

In this week's Apple crime roundup, a woman accused of AirPods theft sues the accusing school, there was a big iPhone theft from Verizon Store, and K9 dog's iPhone recovery may have saved a man's life.

Once again, it's time for the latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.

Tracked iPad helps catch kids who stole their teacher's car

A pair of 12-year-olds from Nashville stole an SUV belonging to their teacher and drove it more than 70 miles. They were caught, however, after their parents tracked them via an iPad left in the car.

According to The Miami Herald, the two kids grabbed the keys to the 2024 Honda CRV off their teacher's desk and used it to take the car. They made it 70 miles Southwest before a trooper took them into custody.

$18,000 in iPhones, other items stolen from Pennsylvania Verizon store

Someone walked into a Verizon Store in Westmorland, Pa., on May 9, and stole nearly $18,000 in iPhones and Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphones. According to WTAE, the person took the items from a safe and fled in a black minivan.

The theft included more than 23 items, the report said.

London woman's stolen iPhone ended up in China

A 44-year-old woman whose iPhone was stolen out of her hand by a mugger outside a pub in North London tracked the device, only to discover that it had made it to China.

According to The Daily Mail, the phone was taken by "three masked yobs" on bikes. Her subsequent tracking with Find My iPhone saw the device turn up at two London addresses and then, a couple of weeks later, in Shenzhen, China.

The newspaper reported that the English capital has been subject to a "terrifying spate of phone snatchings in recent months."

Woman cleared over AirPods theft sues city, officer

A then-high school student from Illinois who was accused by her school in 2019 of stealing AirPods — and then successfully cleared her name after a four-year legal fight — has now filed a civil rights lawsuit in connection with the matter.

Amara Harris, now 21, was issued a $100 ticket by a school resource officer, who claimed she had stolen a classmate's AirPods. As reported by ProPublica, this kicked off a years-long legal fight that resulted, in 2013, with a court clearing Harris.

Now, Harris has filed a $20 million federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Naperville, the school resource officer and a supervisor. Per Law and Crime, the suit alleges civil rights violations, abuse of process, malicious prosecution, negligence, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

"Porch pirate" caught on video taking Apple Watch package from under the nose of FedEx delivery man

Package thefts getting caught on security cameras are far from rare, but they usually happen after the delivery driver has left.

One recent video, taken in Ohio and posted to the Columbus subreddit on June 3, showed a FedEx delivery man dropping off a package containing an Apple Watch at a home. Then a thief arrives, grabs the package, and runs off, with the FedEx driver still standing there.

Per The Columbus Dispatch, the Apple Watch was later listed for sale on Facebook.

Philadelphia influencer, accused of 2023 Apple Store looting, due back in court

The Philadelphia-based influencer, "Meatball," featured in a September 2023 viral video during looting at an Apple Store in that city, is set for a court appearance.

According to Philadelphia court records, a status hearing in her case is set for June 20. NBC 10 reported in March that she had been held for court, on a series of charges that included criminal conspiracy, criminal mischief, riot, and disorderly conduct.

K9 unit's recovery of stolen iPhone may have saved man's life

A North Carolina man who depends on his iPhone to measure his insulin levels with the help of an insulin pump had the device stolen during the first week of June. But local police, with the help of a K9 dog named Pike, managed to locate the lost phone, WCNC reported.

When it was found, the iPhone's lock screen displayed multiple notifications about the patient's need for insulin.

Bangladeshi government minister's iPhone stolen, leading to nine arrests

An iPhone 15 Pro Max belonging to Md. Faridul Haq Khan, Bangladesh's religious affairs minister, was stolen in April and later recovered from Malaysia.

Per The Business Standard, nine people have been arrested in connection with the theft, including the "mastermind" of the crime. Among those arrested were the man who first pulled the iPhone from the minister's pocket, the person he sold it to, and the gang who ended up in possession of it.

When the ring was caught, police discovered "a huge quantity of stolen mobile handsets."

Man arrested for stealing iPad out of golf cart

A man was arrested in early June for stealing an iPad from a golf cart in a Nashville parking garage.

According to Scoop Nashville, the man and two other individuals were caught on video urinating in the parking lot, after which the man took the iPad from a security guard's golf cart.

After another security guard confronted the man, a third guard both tased him and sprayed him with a chemical spray. Eventually, police arrived and arrested the man, who was charged with two counts of assault and one count of theft.

Kenyan dancehall star vows to get stolen iPhone back

The Kenyan dancehall music performer known as KRG the Don has announced that he is determined to recover his stolen iPhone.

According to the media outlet Biggest Kaka, KRG recently took to Instagram to declare that "I will spare no expense to restore my iPhone, even if it costs me up to Ksh 1 million." That's about $7,700.

"Tomorrow, I'll be up at 5 am on the hunt, and if need be, I'll be reaching out to the DCI. If it takes crashing a wedding to get it back, so be it," the musician added.