Bloomberg: Steve Jobs Behind NYC Crime Wave 311
theodp writes "Rudy Giuliani had John Gotti to worry about; Mike Bloomberg has Steve Jobs. Despite all-time lows for the city in homicides and shootings, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg said overall crime in New York City was up 3.3% in 2012 due to iPhone, iPad and other Apple device thefts, which have increased by 3,890 this year. 'If you just took away the jump in Apple, we'd be down for the year,' explained Marc La Vorgna, the mayor's press secretary. 'The proliferation of people carrying expensive devices around is so great,' La Vorgna added. 'It's something that's never had to be dealt with before.' Bloomberg also took to the radio, urging New Yorkers who didn't want to become a crime statistic to keep their iDevices in an interior, hard-to-reach pocket: 'Put it in a pocket in sort of a more body-fitting, tighter clothes, that you can feel if it was — if somebody put their hand in your pocket, not just an outside coat pocket.' But it seems the best way to fight the iCrime Wave might be to slash the $699 price of an iPhone (unactivated), which costs an estimated $207 to make. The U.S. phone subsidy model reportedly adds $400+ to the price of an iPhone. So, is offering unlocked alternatives at much more reasonable prices than an iPhone — like the $299 Nexus 4, for starters — the real key to taking a bite out of cellphone crime? After all, didn't dramatic price cuts pretty much kill car stereo theft?"
Re:Victim blaming (Score:3, Funny)
If you don't want to have your iPhone stolen stop using it in public.
Great.
Or stop advertising that you have one on you by wearing it like a fashion accessory. Ahh, wait, that would defeat the entire point of owning one. What a dilemma.
Zombie attack (Score:4, Funny)
Unbeknownst to Steve, his new liver was infected with zombie juice. He didn't stay buried long. Hordes of zombies wielding iPhones now attacking New York subways, lead by Steve or what remains of him.
Re:The real issue (Score:5, Funny)
In fact, for the cost of an unlocked iPhone I could buy an HTC Android phone and a .22 pistol and get a Florida CCW and still have enough money for a whole lot of whiskey to drink at home so I don't have to go out and expose my precious smarty phone to criminals in the first place.
Yeah!
Re:The real issue (Score:5, Funny)
Re:The real issue (Score:5, Funny)
The variable being ignored is brand recognition.
If thieves can tell them apart how come Apple's lawyers think there is brand confusion?