Apple Stores are no strangers to having products stolen, but usually, thieves are only able to escape with a small number of devices. That wasn’t the case for a recent break-in at an Apple Store in Washington, during which thieves successfully stole over $500,000 worth of Apple products…
As reported by local news outlet KOMO News, the burglary occurred last Sunday at around 7 p.m. at the Apple Store located in the Alderwood Mall. The store had already closed for the day, so Apple employees had no idea of the robbery until the following morning.
The thieves gained entry to the Apple Store by “cutting through the bathroom wall of the neighboring espresso machine store.” They were initially able to enter that espresso store, which was also closed and locked by that time, by prying the front door open.
Once inside, the thieves were able to gather their haul of Apple products and exit through the same hole in the wall, then through the espresso store.
“Our front door was locked. They pried our front door open,” Seattle Coffee Gear Regional Manager Eric Marks explained. “[It was a] 24 by 18 hole cut in the wall into what appears to be the back room of the Apple store. I’m surprised we were the conduit for them to get to the Apple store. I had no clue we were so close or adjacent to them.”
Moving forward, Seattle Coffee Gear replaced their locks and say this is the first time they’ve dealt with a break-in like this, costing them an estimated $1,800 in damages.
In total, the thieves made out with around $500,000 worth of Apple products. This included “approximately 436 iPhones” as well as a collection of Apple Watch and iPad models. Apparently, the thieves weren’t interested in the Mac.
According to Maren McKay, Lynnwood Police Department communications manager, it was a “well-organized operation.” The burglars wore masks and gloves, leaving behind no fingerprints whatsoever. The investigation is still “ongoing” and police have denied requests to release surveillance camera footage.
Assuming all inventory was up to date, Apple can likely remotely block the serial numbers and IMEI numbers for the stolen products. The stolen devices, however, will likely be resold to buyers who have no idea the products were stolen. Then, those buyers won’t be able to activate the devices.
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