Crime blotter: 'Meatball' pleads guilty in Apple Store looting case, and more!
In the latest from the Apple crime blotter, thieves steal an iPhone and then threatened the owner, an iPad theft led to hit-and-run, still no reports of Apple Vision Pro crime, and AirTags are still popular with carjackers and thieves.
Apple Store on Walnut Street in Philadelphia
The social media influencer known as "Meatball," who filmed a spell of looting at the Apple Store and other Center City Philadelphia businesses in September of 2023, has pled guilty to charges of riot with the intent to commit a felony and criminal use of a communication facility, Fox 29 reported.
The woman who filmed people stealing from the Walnut Street Apple Store and later realizing that the stolen iPhones were bricked, has been sentenced to five years of probation for each charge, in addition to 150 hours of community service and a $10,000 fine.
Per the report, the woman's attorney stated in court that "she is accepting responsibility for her actions and will use her platform for positivity moving forward."
iPhone stolen from Los Angeles bar, leading to death threats
An iPhone was stolen by pickpockets from a bar in North Hollywood, part of a spate of recent robberies, Fox LA reported.
The victim of that theft immediately called Apple to place the lost iPhone into lost mode and he purchased a new iPhone. But he soon began receiving threats from the thieves, who claimed both "your whole family will get slaughtered" and "I'm going to beat and rape you horribly."
He tracked the phone, discovering it was eventually taken to China.
Still no reports of Apple Vision Pro-related crime
As the five-month mark approaches since the release of the Apple Vision Pro in the United States, there has still yet to be a single news report of any crime involving the device.
There have been no reports of the Apple Vision Pro being stolen from an Apple Store or off someone's head. Nor have there been reports of anyone using the Apple Vision Pro to commit a crime.
Man stole MacBook, left note stating "improve your anti-theft system"
A burglar robbed a shop in Shanghai, gathered a MacBook and other devices, and left a note telling them to upgrade their anti-theft capabilities.
According to Hindustan Times, the note stated, "Dear boss, I took a wristwatch and a laptop. You should improve your anti-theft system. I did not take all the phones and laptops, fearing it might hurt your business."
The thief was arrested on a train while leaving Shanghai.
Theft of iPad leads to hit-and-run, man's arrest
A 20-year-old Lansing, Mich., man stole a woman's iPad, got in his car, ran over the woman's friend, and fled the scene, police said.
According to WILX, the incident took place at 3:45 a.m. in early June, while the woman hit was taken to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.
Man arrested for stealing iPhone from Festival Place Apple Store
A man who entered the Apple Store in Festival Place in the U.K. on June 26 and stole an iPhone has since been arrested. According to Basingstroke Gazette, the 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of theft.
The local police credited "CCTV work, some good tracking from a PCSO, and a short foot chase" for the apprehension.
Man accused in Apple Store crash seeks information from Toyota
Attorneys for the man charged in the deadly incident in November 2022 in which his car crashed into the Apple Store in Hingham, Mass., are seeking records from both Toyota and a car dealership.
According to The Boston Globe, attorneys for Bradley E. Rein are seeking to prove that the car's artificial intelligence features were to blame for the crash.
Rein faces 25 criminal charges in the case, in which one person was killed, and nearly two dozen people were injured.
AirTags popular among criminals, Australian study says
A new study in Australia by The New South Wales Crime Commission found that Apple AirTags and other devices like them have become popular with those who perpetrate organized crime and domestic violence.
According to TechSpot, a study of purchases of over 5,000 trackers in New South Wales found that 37 percent were "known to NSW police for criminal behavior." At the same time, "25% of customers had a recorded history of domestic and family violence, 15% were known for involvement in serious and organized crime activity, and 6% had a different criminal background."
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Comments
Re the Air Tags report from Australia, are these percentages cumulative, or overlapping/ If cumulative it totals 83%, meaning only 17% of purchases are NOT suspicious.
I love the extra peace of mind that air tags give when travelling by air with luggage, but if they do more harm than good then perhaps a serious re-think is required.