Getting your hands on an iPhone 7 in store was a bit harder this year than in previous years, but two Singapore-based Apple fans came up with the perfect workaround.
Unfortunately it may wind up landing them in jail.
As a way of avoiding the queues, the pair employed Apple’s “think different” mantra and decided to head to the airport, where they knew they could get hold of the new iPhone in the departure lounge. To gain access to the lounge, they bought tickets for a flight — assuming they could ditch them after buying their iPhones.
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The only problem? It turns out that entering a departure lounge without actually planning to get on an airplane is a criminal offense. They were arrested at Changi Airport after police noted that they had “no intention” of actually leaving Singapore.
The punishment for violating the “Protected Areas and Protected Places Act” is the somewhat-steep promise of a fine of up to 1,000 Singapore dollars ($735), as well as a possible two-year jail term if they’re convicted. Police have warned other people looking to follow in their footsteps not to abuse their boarding passes by using them for shopping trips.
Right now, Singapore doesn’t have its own Apple store, although work has been underway since the start of this year. Located on Orchard Road, in Singapore’s upscale retail building Knightsbridge, the building was vacated in December, and was previously used as the home for a Pure Fitness gym. Other nearby stores include Tommy Hilfiger and TANGS.
We’re not sure whether there are any prisons nearby.
Source: BBC
Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems … and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
3 responses to “Cunning plan to buy iPhone 7 could land two Apple fans in jail”
“where they knew they could get hold of the new iPhone in the departure lounge”
How? In an Apple vending machine? Steal from someone charging it? Buy it for a higher price from someone? My imagination is failing me here to even understand this plan lol.
Checked out the stores in the departure lounge for the airport and they have a store called iStudio that describes itself as carrying “…the latest iPads, iPhones, iPods, MacBooks, Apple Watches and a wide range of accessories to complement your Apple products”
Interesting article. Like it!