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In the latest Apple Crime Blotter, Mike Lindell sues the FBI over his seized iPhone, a mayor’s security services stop a robbery near an Apple Store, and “The iPhone Man” is charged in connection with a racketeering in Minneapolis.
The last of a chance AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.
TikTok video captures Irvine Apple Store robbery
The robbery of the Apple Store Irvine Spectrum in Irvine, California was filmed and posted on TikTok by a user named @golden.me4 on September 24.
The video had over 59,000 likes, 4,900 comments and nearly 12,000 shares as of Wednesday.
Ex-Walmart employee gets three years for resale scheme involving 1,000 iPads and 912 Apple Watches
The same week two Miami brothers were convicted of $2.2 million property fraud, a South Carolina man was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, for his part in a scheme to steal over $500,000 worth of electronics at a Walmart in Pennsylvania, like AppleInsider reported Wednesday.
According to the Department of Justice, the man began running a scheme in 2017 to “defraud the company by hiding certain high-end electronic goods as they entered the warehouse by delivery trucks; sending these goods via FedEx to addresses in Allentown controlled by the defendant; sell the stolen goods; and share the proceeds with others.”
At the time of the arrests of the man and his alleged accomplice, Lehigh Valley Live reported the thefts included 1,000 iPads worth $309,000 and 912 Apple Watches worth $227,000.
Suburban mayor detail helps foil Chicago Apple Store robbery
A robbery attempt near Chicago’s Lincoln Park Apple Store was foiled by the mayor’s security detail of a nearby town, who shot the suspected assailant.
According Fox 32, Christopher Clark, the mayor of Harvey, Illinois, was leaving the Apple Store when his detachment noticed an 86-year-old man’s attempted robbery, which was taking place in broad daylight. A detail member even pulled a gun on the thief, although no one was hurt.
Mike Lindell sues FBI over iPhone seizure
Mike Lindell, the founder of MyPillow and election conspiracy theorist, filed a complaint against the FBI in mid-September, alleging that the seizure of his iPhone earlier in the month was inappropriate.
Lindell claims the phone was taken from him while he was sitting in a Hardee drive-thru in Minnesota and the seizure was illegal. By CNNthe Department of Justice had a legal warrant to conduct the search.
The search appears to be related to an investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. While initial media reports did not identify the make and model of Lindell’s phone, the lawsuit calls it an iPhone.
Defendants in Staten Island gift card case each owe $60,000
The five people who pleaded guilty to their role in a $1 million Apple gift card scam are each to pay $60,000 in restitution for their part in the scheme, Staten Island Live reports. In addition, two of the five risk a prison sentence.
The scheme involved obtaining gift cards with stolen information from American Express cardholders for a few months in 2021. The cards were used to purchase items at the Apple Store in the Staten Island Mall.
12 charged with racketeering for Minnesota theft ring involving ‘The iPhone Man’
The Hennepin County District Attorney’s Office announced criminal charges under racketeering laws against 12 people they say operated a cell phone theft ring in downtown Minneapolis over the course of a year. , performing more than 40 flights.
The complaint alleges that the network acted to “systematically steal cellphones, fraudulently transfer funds from victims’ phones to individuals associated with the network of thieves, and then sell the stolen cellphones locally and internationally.”
The complaint says the phones were routed to one of the defendants, known as “The iPhone Man”, who sent shipments of phones to China.
Robbery at California T-Mobile store targeted iPhone screen
Three suspects broke into a T-Mobile store in Orange, California on September 20 and targeted the store’s iPhone screen. According KTLAthe store manager said the suspects “went straight to the iPhone screen and started shooting our iPhone demos,” while also taking Samsung phones.
The theft happened during office hours and the manager added that such thefts are “common” when new iPhones are released.
iPad stolen from business two days in a row
A company called Dutch Bros, in Bakersfield, California, had the iPad they used as a register stolen for two consecutive days. According KGETCommentseparate suspects are wanted in the two robberies, which took place on September 14 and 15.
The suspect in the first robbery had distinctive tattoos and was wearing a Death Row Records shirt.
Ex-coach arrested for fake invoice involving iPad
A former Las Vegas-area high school football coach has been arrested on charges he forged a bill and gave a district-owned iPad to a student. According The Las Vegas Review Logthe ex-coach, who had since moved to another neighborhood, had given the iPad as a “prize” even though he had borrowed the device and promised to return it.
He faces charges of obtaining money by false pretenses, grand larceny and conspiracy to commit theft. The case also concerns a four-wheeled vehicle, which had been given to the school, which he allegedly took without permission.
Facebook post used to catch iPhone thief
A man suspected of stealing an iPhone and wallet from a car parked at a Circle K gas station on September 12 has been arrested over a social media error. Cleveland.com reports that surveillance video was captured of the man, and after his photo was distributed to other agencies, he was recognized.
Police found his Facebook page, where he was wearing an ankle monitor, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office was able to track the ankle monitor and show he was at Circle K at the time of the robbery. He was arrested later that day when officers tracked the anklet to a specific location.