Jeffrey Epstein's Apple Watch gift, an actor followed his stolen iPhone to China, and two iPhone thefts in one day in Texas, all in this week's Apple Crime Blotter
The latest in an occasional AppleInsider feature, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.
Teens arrested for stealing from Cambridge Apple Store
Three teenagers were arrested in late January after stealing 11 iPhones, valued at 11,000 pounds (about $15,000), from the Grand Arcade Apple Store in Cambridge, in the U.K.
According to The Hunts Post, the three were arrested after a white BMW was pulled over. One of the three, 17, was charged with theft from a shop and breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order, with the other two, both 16, charged with theft from a shop.
All three are due to appear in court on March 4.
Man arrested in Texas for two iPhone thefts
A 24-year-old Texas man was arrested on January 17 and charged with armed robbery after he allegedly held a man at gunpoint who was selling him an iPhone in Arlington.
Per Fox 4 News, police say the same man, just hours earlier, had stolen a phone from a different man in Keller, Tex. The latter incident was caught on video.
The seller in the Keller incident, according to the report, uses the online handle "iflipifones" and records videos of his transactions. Therefore, he was filming the day of the robbery.
Jeffrey Epstein gifted lawyer with Hermes Apple Watch
The most recent appearances by Apple and Apple products in the newly released Epstein Files include a very expensive Apple Watch.
The Washington Free Beacon explains that Jeffrey Epstein gave numerous expensive gifts to Kathryn Ruemmler, an attorney who served as White House counsel during the Obama Administration and now works for Goldman Sachs.
Among the gifts received by Ruemmler from Epstein were "a $9,400 Hermes handbag, an Hermes-branded Apple Watch, and a spa treatment package at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington," the publication reported, citing newly released emails.
Ruemmler is not directly accused of wrongdoing, but had previously claimed she was not compensated by the convicted sex offender.
It was reported in early February that Epstein attempted to arrange a meeting between Tim Cook and former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky.
Epstein appears to have been an Apple enthusiast, often receiving emails about Apple products — such as when he was emailed a news article comparing the 2017 vs. 2018 MacBook Pro models — and buying such items as gifts. Many of the emails were sent to and from Epstein via different iPads, and the late financier appeared to have different emails (i.e., [email protected]) set up on different devices.
Numerous iPhones taken from Brooklyn music venue
Dozens of concert-goers reportedly had their iPhones stolen during a December concert at the Brooklyn Paramount theater.
According to The Guardian, the thefts took place at a concert by the post-hardcore emo group Silverstein.
"It is well known that phone theft has unfortunately increased across popular events and at popular venues throughout NYC nightlife in the past 2 years," Jacqui Rabkin of another Brooklyn venue, House of Yes, told the
Woman accused of using stolen credit card to buy MacBook from Costco
Police in Bakersfield, Calif., are looking for a woman who they say used a stolen credit card in October to buy a MacBook from an area Costco.
KGET reports the credit card was taken from a woman at a Trader Joe's.
A photo was released of the suspect.
iPad stolen in Facebook Marketplace robbery
A 17-year-old in Milwaukee has been arrested for stealing an iPad during a Facebook Marketplace sale meetup. According to Fox 6 Now, the incident took place on January 18.
The victim had agreed to a meeting to sell an iPad, at which point "a person wearing a black hoodie, black sweatpants and a blue mask came up to him and asked to see the device." He then declared "Watch out, bro, give me everything," before pulling out a kitchen knife.
The incident was caught on surveillance video, which showed the assailant was wearing a Glock t-shirt with the slogan "No Gun No Fun."
The person who was arrested "was later identified by an officer who recognized him from prior incidents." His mother told police that he had sold an iPad and a phone at a store earlier that day.
He faces a class C felony.
British actor followed stolen iPhone to China
John Owen-Jones, a British stage actor, had his iPhone stolen on the streets of London in August. He then went on to follow the stolen device with Find My iPhone all the way to China, and posted the whole saga online.
According to the IB Times, the stolen phone traveled thousands of miles to Shenzhen, China.
Unlike most in that situation, he actually flew to China to follow his stolen device. The actor, per the newspaper, "managed to trace it to a retail storefront where it was being offered for sale."
Stolen car tracked via AirPods, leading to arrest
A Wyoming man was arrested in late January and charged with stealing a car from an Albertsons parking lot, after AirPods left in the car were tracked. According to County 17, police had also watched surveillance video of the theft, spotting a woman.
The man who was arrested gave differing accounts of who the woman was, ultimately admitting it was his girlfriend. When the man's residence was searched, drugs were found.
The man was charged with conspiracy to commit felony theft involving property valued at more than $1,000, possession of a controlled substance in crystalline form related to methamphetamine, and possession of a controlled substance in plant form tied to the THC vape pens.
Man gets iPhone, iPad, and MacBook stolen in one month
One man in Monroe, Ga., suffered a terrible run of bad luck in December, according to a crime blotter on Monroe Local.
On December 7, the man reported that his iPhone and MacBook were stolen from his vehicle. The man also said he was robbed of a new iPhone, as well as an iPad, on December 22.
