Another Apple Store theft in Illinois, a man used an old iPhone to catch thieves, and a fortune teller in China stole a client's iPhone, all in this week's Apple Crime Blotter.
The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.
Armed robbery reported near Long Island Apple Store
A group of gunmen stole multiple boxes of Apple products in a "brazen stickup" outside of an Apple Store on Manhasset Long Island.
According to The New York Post, the robbers, all dressed in black, approached a pair of workers making a delivery and took the goods at gunpoint. Both workers, the Post said, were 65-year-old men, although neither was injured.
The store was not open at the time of the theft.
Man charged with stealing from Illinois Apple Store
A man from Arizona has been charged with stealing three iPhones from the Apple Store in Naperville, Ill. Fox 32 in Chicago reports the suspect fled in an SUV and led officers on a brief chase before he was caught.
After the thefts, which took place on New Year's Day, the 24-year-old man was charged with burglary, retail theft, and eluding a police officer. The devices taken were iPhone 17 Pro Max models.
The man is scheduled to appear in court in February.
Ohio man used "old iPhone" to catch thieves
A lot of crimes get solved because someone left their iPhone in a stolen car, but one man found a novel way to do something similar.
According to ABC 6, DeJuan Davidson, an Ohio man whose car had been broken into three different times, purposely left his iPhone behind in his car, so he could track it in the event of another theft. Per Columbus Dispatch, it was an "old iPhone," albeit one that still had service and could be tracked.
Once it was indeed taken, he tracked the iPhone and informed Columbus police, who arrested one 18-year-old and four juveniles. They were charged with carrying concealed weapons, improper handling of a firearm, and tampering with evidence.
But the story didn't end there: Davidson later posted to social media that he wanted to meet with the parents of the accused. He has since spoken to the 18-year-old's mother "several times."
Fortune teller in Thailand arrested for iPhone theft
A fortune teller in Thailand has been arrested after telling a customer that she would "soon face bad luck [and] the loss of a valuable item," and then making the fortune come true by stealing the woman's iPhone.
According to South China Morning Post, the fortune teller first denied the theft, but "told her the loss proved the accuracy of his fortune-telling."
The fortune teller, per the report, had also asked for money to prevent the prophecy from coming true.
Thieves in Chicago use Apple Pay to transfer money
A group of thieves in Chicago's River North neighborhood has been running a specific scam: They trick people into giving them their phones for a follow on Instagram or donation, at which point the thieves use Apple Pay or Zelle to transfer money.
ABC 7 explains this happened at least four times on a specific block in December, usually at around 3 a.m. on weekend nights. When the victims refused to show the thieves their phones, per the report, they "took them by force."
In 2022, a similar scam was active in downtown Minneapolis, which led to several arrests and convictions.
Demo iPhone stolen from Walmart
Police in Tennessee said a woman stole an iPhone 17 Pro Max valued at $1,249, from an area Walmart. According to 3B Media News, the woman broke a security bracket and took the iPhone, at which point she continued shopping and even paid for groceries before leaving.
The police were able to trace a partial license plate to identify the owner of the car. At her home, the owner of the car admitted to "being at Walmart with a blonde companion," presumably the woman in the surveillance video.
That woman, in the presence of police, retrieved the iPhone from her waistband and was arrested for shoplifting (theft over $1,000) and vandalism.
Tracked AirPods lead to arrest of two women in car burglaries
Two women who were accused of breaking into cars at a Texas apartment complex were arrested after one of the victims followed the signal from his AirPods.
According to The Denton Record-Chronicle, after the man followed the signal, he saw a woman walking around, and "believed her movements matched up with the AirPods." After the woman got into a vehicle, the man told police about that vehicle.
Once police arrived, they noticed AirPods in the center console of that vehicle. However, the caller determined those AirPods were not his.
Eventually, the woman "admitted that she and [an accomplice] found some AirPods and an iPad in a vehicle [and] then dumped a bag in a nearby field after seeing the other woman talking to officers." Multiple pairs of AirPods were found in the woman's purse.
iPads stolen from fairgrounds in Oklahoma
Police in Oklahoma City are looking for a man who they say stole "several iPads" from the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds.
"If you recognize him," the department said, "your anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers could earn you a cash reward."
Man arrested for placing AirTag on vehicle
An Alabama was arrested just before Christmas for placing an AirTag on a victim's vehicle.
According to Fox 10 TV, the victim found the AirTag back in September. Police were able to determine that the AirTag was purchased from a Walmart on a specific date.
Surveillance footage led to the man, who was charged with one count of first-degree electronic stalking.
