Violence sheet: Arrest made in robbery of 280 smartphones

The Apple Store in Downtown Nashville
Apple products are attractive targets for criminals, and they are ubiquitous. This week’s roundup includes the arrest of the mastermind behind a massive iPhone thievery ring, a Londoner who filmed and posted an attempted iPhone heist, and much more! This is the latest in a series of AppleInsider articles that examines Apple-related crimes. New Jersey arrest made for theft of 280 iphones in April. A New Jersey man was arrested by police on April 18th, according to the police, for his role in the theft of 280 phones worth approximately $117,000 in New Jersey. New Jersey 101.5 reported that the theft took place at United Tower Associates, an electronics wholesale store. Two men jumped out of a minivan in gold and used a pry bar and hammer to break a window. The Automated License Plate Reader was used to track the car down to the 28-year old man. He was arrested and charged for burglary, theft and possession of burglar tools. The phone of the man who shot Trump wasn’t an iPhone. After the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump, there was the usual debate about the suspects smartphone and if law enforcement could crack it. The FBI and a series of news reports indicated that the government had been able to crack the phone fairly quickly, making the encryption fight unnecessary. Bloomberg News reported on July 18 that it was “a Samsung model with Android operating system” that had been obtained by Thomas Matthew Crooks. Authorities had named Crooks as the assassin. The report stated that authorities used Cellebrite to access the phone. The local FBI bureau did have a Cellebrite licence, but it didn’t work with the device. Cellebrite provided a new software update that included “additional support and software still in development.” CBS News reported that a second cell phone was found in Crooks’ house, but the device hasn’t been identified. London man films attempted iPhone thievery A 23-year old London musician who works as a music producer was filming a July 4th when a hooded cyclist approached him and attempted to steal his iPhone. Jonas Yoo posted the video of the incident on TikTok. @itsjonasyooStealing in your old age? Come on bro if you love me – The InformersA stolen Apple Watch led to the arrest of 3 suspects in a Boston barbershop robbery. A Boston SWAT team investigating an armed robbery at a barbershop made arrests after tracing the Apple Watch to a hideout of the suspects. According to The Boston Herald’s report, police followed a signal to a location near the city’s Dorchester district, where they found the car used in the robbery. The police moved in and arrested two suspects. They then “used flashbangs and gas” to force the third suspect from the barbershop. The newspaper reported that in addition to the Apple Watch, the robbers also took “a gold chain, wallets and debit cards, rings, and a large sum of cash.” A Michigan man has been sentenced to prison for his role in Walmart Apple Watch thefts. In other Apple Watch news, a Michigan woman was sentenced four years in jail for her part in the theft of thousands in Apple Watches in Wisconsin Walmart in October 2023. Fox 11 Online reports that the man pleaded not guilty to charges of robbery and retail theft. The other two suspects were sentenced to the same punishment a month before. Pickpockets steal credit card at restaurant, use it later at Apple Store in Nashville. A woman was caught on video surveillance pickpocketing a woman in downtown Nashville. She stole a credit from her purse, and then tried to use it later at an Apple Store. According to WSMV the woman whose credit card was stolen did not notice anything amiss until her credit card company called her to inform her that someone had tried to make a large payment at the downtown Apple Store. A 31-year old Florida man has been arrested after stealing an iPhone at a Berkshire Hathaway office. WFLA reports that the man pretended to be a homebuyer before stealing the iPhone and hiding it in sales literature. The Naples Police Department found the iPhone in a boutique and arrested the man. The Lafayette Police Department is looking for a suspect they claim stole an iPad Pro in July from a Best Buy store in Lafayette. Lafayette Crime Stoppers says the man cut the cable and took the iPad Pro. Massachusetts man accused of stealing iPhone, iPad A Massachusetts man formerly working as a chiropractor has been arrested after he stole an iPad and iPhone off a local church. The theft was caught on video. According to The Sun Chronicle the theft occurred in April and church members recognized the man from the security video as “Dr. Gene.” Gene.”