Ginza Apple Store in Tokyo
Federal prosecutors charged more than a dozen people for their alleged roles in a sophisticated theft ring, while an executive in Japan was arrested over MacBook-related fraud in this week’s Apple Crime Blotter.
The latest in an occasional AppleInsider feature, looking at the world of Apple-related crime.
13 people charged in federal “new age porch pirate” case
At the end of February, federal prosecutors in New Jersey filed charges against 13 people, who they alleged operated “an international network that stole thousands of shipments of iPhones and other electronic devices around the United States.”
The defendants, one of whom lives in the Dominican Republic while the rest live in New York and New Jersey, are accused of acting as “new age” porch pirates.
Prosecutors say they stole FedEx shipments containing iPhones, iPads, and Samsung devices while also bribing employees of a certain cell phone carrier to obtain “orders, names, tracking numbers, and delivery addresses.” Some of the defendants operated a “fence” operation out of a residence in the Bronx, prosecutors said.
All thirteen defendants were charged with conspiracy to transport and receive stolen property. Two were charged with wire fraud conspiracy, and two were charged with the transportation of stolen property.
Four arrested in $500,000 Florida UPS theft ring
Four suspects have now been arrested in what police are calling a theft ring, involving the stealing of UPS packages containing iPhones and Macs in South Florida. According to CBS 12, the ring was caught when T-Mobile realized they had lost more than $500,000 at two specific stores.
They then put GPS tracking devices on packages, which led them to California.
Three of those arrested so far, per the report, are UPS employees, with one of them a supervisor, and one of the accused conspirators ran a recording studio that was used as a front for the ring.
Chinese executive in Japan arrested for MacBook discount scheme
A 35-year-old Chinese man who works in Tokyo as the head of a computer retailer has been charged with executing a scheme, in which students from China studying in Japan bought MacBooks at the Apple Store with their student discounts and then sold them abroad.
The Japan Times reports the Metropolitan Police Department arrested the man, initially charging him with having the students buy 18 MacBooks from two Tokyo Apple Stores, although they claim he ultimately obtained around 700 computers. They also say the scheme involved the company’s credit cards and that a go-between was a woman “affiliated with a crime syndicate known as the Chinese Dragon.”
The man denies the claims.
Stolen debit card used at Ohio Apple Store
Police in Akron, Ohio, are looking for two suspects who they say used a stolen debit card at the Summit Mall Apple Store on February 12.
According to Cleveland 19, the two spent $860 at the store, and then another $600 at a second location. The police released a photo of the two suspects on Facebook:
Man claiming “Spark Order” stole Apple Watches, AirPod Pros from Walmart
Police in Nebraska are looking for a man who they say took two series 10 Apple Watches and two Apple AirPod Pros from a Walmart and lied to store employees that he was picking up an order from the delivery service Spark.
According to KLIN, police suspect the man is part of a group that has been targeting Walmart stores throughout different parts of Nebraska.
Search of son’s Apple Watch helps man uncover possible conspiracy to arrest him
A man in Florida is suing a local police department, claiming that a police officer was having an affair with his former girlfriend, and the two conspired to have the man arrested. He claims he uncovered the conspiracy after discovering “racy texts” on his son’s Apple Watch, which formerly belonged to the ex-girlfriend.
Law and Crime explains that the lawsuit by Julio A. Trejo, filed in Miami-Dade County, claims the ex-girlfriend and policeman texted about having Trejo arrested. The idea was for him to miss a permanent injunction hearing and therefore risk losing custody of his children.
Man sought for stealing iPad from New Jersey service area
New Jersey State Police are looking for a man who they say stole an iPad from a service area on the Garden State Parkway in mid-February.
According to Patch, police say the man took the iPad from the counter of the service area’s gas station and then headed south on the Parkway.
The police released photos of both the man and his car.
Man charged after child sex abuse material found on iPad
A 42-year-old Idaho man has been charged with several crimes, including video voyeurism, possessing child pornography, and domestic battery, after the offending images were discovered on an iPad.
MagicValley.com reports the discovery of the images led to an argument that resulted in the alleged domestic abuse.
Man who stole iPhone from mosque in Singapore gets more than two years
A man in Singapore was arrested for stealing an iPhone and two bags from a mosque while the owners of the items were praying. When the owner of the iPhone confronted him, the man asked for $300.
Since the man was “on remission order for previous drug offences” and had failed to remain indoors at a halfway house, he received a jail sentence.
According to Straits Times, the man was sentenced to two years, 10 months, and 130 days after pleading guilty to three charges.
