Just as you were thinking about how Money robbery got all creative with the narrative and similar things happen in real life, a daring robbery straight out of a Hollywood film occurred at an Apple Store in the United States. In a scene straight out of ‘Ocean’s Eleven,’ burglars tunnelled their way into the store through a lavatory and stole 436 iPhones worth a staggering Rs 4.10 crore.
According to King 5 News, a local news station in Seattle, robbers broke into Seattle Coffee Gear and made a hole in the restroom wall to access the Apple Store’s backroom. Using the nearby coffee shop as a cover, the thieves got past the security system at the Apple Store and made off with 436 iPhones, which are valued about $500,000, or roughly Rs. 4.10 crore.
The morning following the incident, Eric Marks, the regional retail manager, said that he had received a call, although he wasn’t sure what to anticipate. The police did confirm that his store had been exploited to get access to the Apple Store, though.
Given how it loops around, I never would have guessed we were close to the Apple Store, according to Marks, who spoke to King 5 News. So, someone had to carefully consider their options and be familiar with the mall’s layout.
Two males broke into one of our retail locations, according to the CEO of the coffee shop, Mike Atkinson, who also shared a picture of the tunnel the burglars made in the restroom of the Apple Store on Twitter. Why? In order to break into the Apple Store next door and steal $500k worth of iPhones, he tweeted, “to cut a hole in our bathroom wall.”
Seattle Coffee Gear had to change their locks, which cost close to $900, and they anticipate spending between $600 and $800 on bathroom renovations. The retailers’ location, Alderwood Mall, is assisting the police in their investigation into the crime. According to Seattle’s King 5 News, Atkinson and other others have come to suspect that the crime was an inside job because of how quickly and precisely it was carried out.
The fact that most burglaries target banks, jewellery stores, and other establishments to steal money or valuables makes this one more intriguing. The iPhone 14, which has a starting price of $699, is one example of an Apple product with a significant demand in the underground market despite its high retail price.
Additionally, because to the abundance of products on display and their accessibility, burglars frequently target Apple Stores. In addition, a lot of Apple Stores rely on the mall where they are located for security because they lack their own security staff.
Apple has not yet released a statement regarding the theft and typically doesn’t comment on shop thefts.
The first two Apple retail locations in India have now officially opened, according to Apple CEO Tim Cook. The first store opened on April 18 in Mumbai BKC, and the second one debuted on April 20 in the Select City Walk shopping centre in Saket, Delhi. Tim Cook also had a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his trip to India on Wednesday in New Delhi.