Police in Florida are looking for three men who took $60,000 in iPads from a Best Buy early Monday morning.
From the surveillance video, it took the trio dressed in dark clothing and gloves just a minute to “complete the theft,” the police report says.
The break-in happened at about 4:46 a.m. and by the time police arrived at the scene the crooks were long gone.
In just a minute, they pried open the rear door, made a beeline for the iPads, dumped between 60 and 90 of them in a black bin and ran out.
It’s fast, but still not the record for an iBreak in. Thieves in Ohio took just 30 seconds to empty an Apple retailer of 24 laptops and an iPad back in May.
Breaking those trademark Apple retail glass storefronts has become such an epidemic that the FBI is investigating whether there are professional gangs. Though this heist didn’t happen in an Apple store, it seems like these guys knew what they were looking for.
Via Naples News
Nicole Martinelli is a San Francisco freelance writer who heads up Cult of Mac Magazine, our weekly publication available on iTunes. You can find her on Twitter and Google+. If you’re doing something new, cool and Apple-related, email her.
32 responses to “In 60 Seconds Thieves Nab $60,000 in iPads From Best Buy”
Most likely an inside job. Have you seen what they pay those Geek Squad employees?
Though I am sure there are many decent and honest employees, it only takes a couple.
Wanna buy an ipad?
They have to know by serial numbers which iPads were taken. Hate to be on the receiving end of that ebay auction.
They need to catch the thieves and throw them under the cell.
Nah, I’m pretty sure these guys hold the record for quickest act of iThievery. They stole around 100 iPads in 60 seconds, whereas the thieves in Ohio stole 25 items in 30 seconds. Sorry for being so technical. lol
PayPal is gonna take a bath.
So, wait, does this mean that the iPads being sold by dirtbag thugs in parking lots will be real ones, instead of blocks of wood or whatever?
This story can’t be true.
Worst Buy never has anything in stock.
They weren’t wearing black turtlenecks, by any chance…?
wahoo ,I just got a $829.99 iPad2 for only $103.37 and my mom got a $1499.99 HDTV for only $251.92, they are both coming with USPS tomorrow. I would be an idiot to ever pay full retail prices at places like Walmart or Bestbuy. I sold a 37″ HDTV to my boss for $600 that I only paid $78.24 for. I use BidsBug.com
You’re right about the “I would be an idiot” part.
Must be one of the stolen ones.
It seemed like they practiced and studied the place before the looting. Though, I would have thought that Best Buy had a stronger security than that, what’s up with their security protocols?
what the world?
A lot of retailers don’t store the serial number of merchandise they sell. This is why they have insurance, they know their inventory levels and just report that.
With all the connectivity and records we have today, I’m surprised Apple can’t track the serials and prevent these from being activated. When the unlucky buyers contact Apple for support, Apple can backtrack who is selling them and take down the ring.
Yes it’s a lot of effort and not worth the money compared to any single individual theft incident, but if you make an effort to prevent activation and pursue every single retail break-in, eventually word will get around that you can’t steal unsold iPads, iPhones, whatever.
What a bunch of idiots. If they had waited a few months they could have gotten the iPad 3.