Crime blotter: iPhone thefts from children, and AirTags to the rescue

In the latest Apple crime roundup, the owner of a North Carolina cell phone store has been sentenced to more than five years in prison, one woman tracks down thieves with an AirTag, while another is accused of stealing her children's iPhones.

A 68-month sentence store owner convicted in iPhone scheme

The former North Carolina cell phone store owner who was convicted in 2023 of selling thousands of stolen iPhones has been sentenced to 68 months in prison.

According to the announcement from the Department of Justice, Rami Mahmod Mhana also received three years of supervised release, that will follow his prison sentence.

Mhana was convicted of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering. Per the DOJ, he "purchased thousands of brand-new Apple iPhones and other electronic devices that were stolen and fraudulently obtained" and sold those iPhones, mostly in the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.

Woman accused of stealing children's iPhones during court visition

A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with stealing a pair of iPhones belonging to her children during a court-ordered visitation day.

According to Explore Jefferson, the 43-year-old woman had a visitation session with her two children, and during the visitation, she took the two iPhones, an iPhone SE and iPhone 12. The police report says that she refused to return them because she wanted to speak with the victim — presumably the custodial parent — but he only ever wanted to "communicate through text."

She was charged with two counts of theft by Unlawful Taking-Movable Property.

Woman sends herself AirTag to prevent mail theft

A woman from California who had had several items stolen from her post office box came up with a novel solution: She mailed herself a package with an AirTag attached.

According to The Associated Press, after that package was stolen, law enforcement tracked the AirTag, later arresting two people, a man and a woman.

The two people are suspected of stealing from more than a dozen people.

The two suspects were charged with possession of checks with intent to commit fraud, conspiracy, and identity and credit card theft, while the man was hit with a burglary charge and multiple outstanding warrants.

"Porch pirate" is arrested in Connecticut

A man caught trying to steal a newly delivered iPad from in front of a Connecticut house was confronted by the homeowner and then arrested.

According to WTNH, the 26-year-old Bronx man ran away and left the package when the owner confronted him. He was charged with fourth-degree criminal attempt to commit larceny and given a $2,500 bond.

It follows a spate of similar thefts in the area, and police have warned residents to be cautious about ordering electronic devices online.

Nebraska man arrested for stealing, destroying iPhone

A 44-year-old man in Dubach, Neb., was arrested in early August for the theft of an iPhone from a car outside a church.

According to Lincoln Parish Journal, the woman who owned the found attempted to ping it. When a man called the woman from the stolen phone, she recognized his voice when he "used derogatory names and threatened to break the phone."

The man later told police he had thrown the phone out of a vehicle. When police searched him, they noticed that a cylinder attached to his necklace contained escitalopram oxalate, which is a prescription-only drug.

He was charged with theft and simple criminal damage to property, in addition to the drug charge.

Two teenagers arrested for stealing MacBook from school

Police in Wareham, Mass., have arrested a pair of teenagers, one 18 and the other 19, for breaking into a middle school and stealing a MacBook.

According to the Wareham Police Department Facebook page, the break-in set off an alarm, and police found the two accused thieves near the school. The MacBook was later found at the male suspect's home.

Both suspects were charged with Breaking and Entering in the nighttime for a felony, malicious destruction of property under $1200, and larceny from a building.

Hotel employee accused of stealing AirPods

An employee at a Six Flags hotel in Missouri has been arrested and accused of stealing a pair of AirPods belonging to a guest.

According to Leader Publications, the woman had stayed at the hotel in early February. Then she received the alert in July that her AirPods were being used at a local near the hotel.

She called the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, who told her they couldn't help, but the Eureka Police Department took up the case, arrested the woman and recovered the AirPods.

Three in India steal phones, transfer money, buy iPhone

Police in India arrested three people in August, including one minor, for executing a crime that entailed stealing a mobile phone, using its SIM card to transfer money, and then using that money to purchase an iPhone.

According to The Times of India, the perpetrators were caught after police examined CCTV camera footage.