Berkeley Apple Store glass entrance is latest to be smashed by car [u]
Continuing a recent trend of ramming vehicles through the all-glass front facades of Apple retail outlets, an unknown person drove their car into the 4th Street Apple Store in Berkeley, Calif. early Friday morning, and AppleInsider was sent exclusive pictures of the aftermath.
Update: The crash now appears to have been part of a burglary, rather than a simple accident. Photos sent in by reader Benjamin do not seem to show any missing devices on the store's display tables, but Berkeleyside notes that "several items" were indeed stolen.
The vehicle appeared to aim directly at the store's front doors, damaging both them and the metal security gate. The windows both above and on either side of the doors survived the impact.
Vehicular smash-and-grabs have become increasingly common at Apple stores around the world thanks to the high resale value of the merchandise on display and Apple's unwillingness to mar the stores' aesthetic with hefty security features. Apple's Kurf?rstendamm store in Berlin fell victim to such a crime last December, while the Lincoln Park outlet in Chicago and the Temecula, Calif. location have also seen similar vehicular violence.
Security gates have become more common in Apple Stores which are exposed to the street. The Temecula robbery (depicted in the video embedded above) was nearly foiled after the security gate fell down behind the thieves, effectively trapping them in the store.
Update: The crash now appears to have been part of a burglary, rather than a simple accident. Photos sent in by reader Benjamin do not seem to show any missing devices on the store's display tables, but Berkeleyside notes that "several items" were indeed stolen.
The vehicle appeared to aim directly at the store's front doors, damaging both them and the metal security gate. The windows both above and on either side of the doors survived the impact.
Vehicular smash-and-grabs have become increasingly common at Apple stores around the world thanks to the high resale value of the merchandise on display and Apple's unwillingness to mar the stores' aesthetic with hefty security features. Apple's Kurf?rstendamm store in Berlin fell victim to such a crime last December, while the Lincoln Park outlet in Chicago and the Temecula, Calif. location have also seen similar vehicular violence.
Security gates have become more common in Apple Stores which are exposed to the street. The Temecula robbery (depicted in the video embedded above) was nearly foiled after the security gate fell down behind the thieves, effectively trapping them in the store.
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Apple really needs pylons in front of all outdoor stores.
Sucks, but probably true. Maybe something with a decent looking design.
I hate thieves.
2) I wonder if Apple could get large pieces of bullet resistance glass made for their windows. Meaning, two pieces of glass sandwiched between a sheet of polycarbonate so it would be more difficult to smash the glass. Or do that simply make it so a very large, heavy piece of material is more likely fly off the minimal hinges keeping it in place thereby still allowing thieves to enter?
Could they just use a sledge hammer or something else to smash the glass? A car does afford them some security from the falling glass but it's not the only solution.
What’s up with not having retractable… what do they call ‘em? Not balustrades…
An active security system is needed. How about claymores triggered by radar when it senses a large metal object approaching the window at speed? Or popup barriers like the ones in [I]Watchdogs[/I]?
Apple really needs pylons in front of all outdoor stores.
Decorative poles at the street edge of the curb would solve this without taking away from the storefront aesthetic.
Heck, do something uniquely Apple… make them look like iPod earphones coming up out of the curb.
Bill and Steve buried the hatchet long ago, so probably not.
Or a sign that says: DRIVE SAFELY
Or bone cutting laser beams at car driver neck height built in to the windows.
Actually a nice cross hatch pattern of beams would be better to ensure the car and occupants come through in perfect rectangular tubes. Of course Apple would need a disposal system just inside the windows that was artistic, functional and in keeping with the overall design of the store. The replacement window could be lowered immediately from a portcullis type design above.
There are 424 Apple Stores and the average salary for a security guard is $22k per year (all other figures will be estimates). Let's say half are in malls or otherwise protected from this sort of attack. This leaves 212 vulnerable stores. Now you need 7 day a week coverage so you need at least two guys for a week so you can have one guy there per night for a 10 to 6am shift (even though this leaves the space unprotected during breaks). That's 70 hours per week which using an $11 per hour wage which I doubled for [I]cost[/I] I get $1,540 per store. For 212 stores that's $326,480 per year at an extremely conservative estimate which I think is unreasonable for an average pay, because it leaves a store vulnerable every night, and I believe that much money could probably go to designing a better system to deter thieves.
That would only prevent the car being used again after the heist.
Meanwhile I assume all those stolen products are busy transmitting GPS coordinates and screaming come and rescue me? I use Orbicule (http://www.orbicule.com) on all my equipment in addition to Apple's built in systems.
I don't know about u guys, but I'm not really built for prison.
“Crash Different” with an arrow pointing to the nearest Best Buy or Microsoft Store.
1) Is that @Benjamin Frost or just someone else named Benjamin?
That dude is in the UK, so I don't think that it's him.