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After two similar thefts at Apple stores in the Los Angeles area, another has been reported. Meanwhile, a police car crash leads to the discovery of a pile of stolen Macs and iPads.
The latest in a series of AppleInsider articles covering Apple-related crime.
More Laptop Thefts From Apple Stores
In early December, two MacBook thefts were reported from two different Apple Stores, both in Glendale, California. Customers who ordered the computers showed up to find that someone else had impersonated the customer and taken the items.
There have now been reports of at least four such thefts in the Los Angeles area alone this month.
According to NBC Los Angeles, the thief used a fake ID and a QR code to snatch a 16-inch MacBook Pro. One of the victims said he received an expected credit from Apple for the purchase amount.
AirPods Lead Police to Tools Stolen from a Car Dealer
After a theft was reported at a Nissan dealership in Fort Myers, Florida, in early December, a signal from AirPods led police to the stolen items and an arrest.
WINK reports that $100,000 worth of toolboxes and tools were stolen. One of the toolboxes contained AirPods, so detectives with the Lee County Sheriff's Office traced the signal to a storage unit.
A man who rents an apartment there was caught on surveillance video loading toolboxes and was revealed to be a former employee of the dealership. Found at his current place of employment, another dealership, the man was arrested and charged with theft, grand theft, and burglary.
AirPods Lead to Car Theft Arrests
In another story involving stolen AirPods, Texas police arrested two men after AirPods left in a stolen car were tracked to their home.
According to KURV, a search of the home led to the discovery of a firearm and the arrest of two men who are suspected of “more than a dozen” carjackings.
Luigi Mangione Mentioned Apple's Market Cap in His Manifesto
The man accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson mentioned Apple and its market cap in a short “manifesto” that was found on him when he was arrested in Pennsylvania.
According to a copy of the manifesto published by journalist Ken Klippenstein, Luigi Mangione referenced Apple, comparing it to the value of health care conglomerates.
“Reminder: The U.S. has the most expensive healthcare system in the world, yet we rank about 42nd in life expectancy. United is the [inaudible] largest company in the U.S. by market cap, behind only Apple, Google, and Walmart,” Mangione wrote in the document.
According to CompaniesMarketCap.com, Apple was the largest U.S. company by market cap at the close of business on Dec. 20, with $3.846 trillion. United Health was listed as the 17th largest at $460.26 billion.
On Dec. 13, the BBC complained to Apple about a summary of an Apple Intelligence article that falsely reported that Mangione had shot himself.
Man accused of hitting police car had 'dozens' of MacBooks
In late November, a Louisiana man was accused of hitting a police car and then fleeing. Police then found a MacBook and an iPad in the car.
KPLC explains that the 27-year-old was driving a Jeep that was “connected to a theft case being investigated by multiple agencies.” During the chase, he crashed into the police car, after which he and two passengers fled.
After he was caught on foot, the car was searched and police found “34 MacBook Airs, five MacBook Pros, three iPad Pros, and various burglary tools and items.”
Ohio Bans AirTag Stalking
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a new law on December 19 that makes it a crime to secretly track others with an AirTag or other tracking device.
According to YKYC, the network took credit for bringing the issue to the forefront in Ohio with a series of reports about the practice and vulnerabilities in the state's laws.
TikTok posts about credit card data being stolen via AirDrop called a hoax
Some TikTok influencers have claimed that iPhone users should disable AirDrop because hackers can steal their credit card information that way. Some versions have claimed that a “recent update” made this possible.
However, Lifehacker exposed this as a scam.
“AirDrop cannot interact with Apple Wallet,” the exposé reads. “The feature can only share files accessible through the iPhone's file browser, and Apple Wallet does not store information in it. And even if it did, Apple Wallet does not actually store your credit card details.”
Several iPhone thefts in India
An iPhone belonging to a colonel was stolen in the city of Lucknow, India, and a “sophisticated interstate cybercriminal gang” was blamed for the crime.
Two members of the gang were caught with seven stolen mobile phones and six SIM cards, according to The Times of India. The iPhone, belonging to Colonel Santosh Kumar Mishra, was stolen from a fruit and vegetable market.
In another part of India, Gurgaon, an iPhone belonging to former Union minister of state K J Alphons was stolen from a railway station, The Times of India reported separately.
Also in India, police have caught a gang that stole iPhones from a shop in Jaipur in early November and planned to smuggle them to Bangladesh, India Today reported.
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