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Crime Apple

Crooks Steal $1.5M In iPads From JFK 144

Posted by samzenpus from the poof-they're-gone dept.
alphadogg writes "A pair of brazen crooks punched another hole in the lax JFK security when they stole a trove of new Apple iPad minis — worth $1.5 million — from the same cargo building that was the site of the 1978 Lufthansa heist featured in GoodFellas, according to the New York Post. The crooks struck shortly before midnight on Monday and used one of the airport's own forklifts to load two pallets of the tablet computers into a truck, according to law-enforcement sources. It's been a crazy year for iPad/iPhone thefts in New York City and elsewhere."
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Crooks Steal $1.5M In iPads From JFK More

Crooks Steal $1.5M In iPads From JFK

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  • Serialized? (Score:5, Insightful)

    by drkim ( 1559875 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:07AM (#41999527)

    Does Apple have a way to not allow these to be used if turned on, or can they track them through some kind of CPU ID code?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by rikkards ( 98006 )

      Yep Serial number is engrained in it. And they can track who actually has it by the IP of the host machine when it connects to iTunes. Idiot buys new hardware nowadays. If people track the serial numbers of your hardware and report it to them they can disable it and potentially find it. Guaranteed they will be this time.

      • Yep Serial number is engrained in it. And they can track who actually has it by the IP of the host machine when it connects to iTunes.

        No, No they cannot. They can figure out who has it if someone logs into iTunes, but an IP does not identify a person.

        If people track the serial numbers of your hardware and report it to them they can disable it and potentially find it. Guaranteed they will be this time.

        What people are tracking and reporting serials? and disabling and finding the device are pretty mutually exclusive. As others have pointed out, Apple will likely prefer making money from app sales on these devices, while some insurance company covers the monetary loss of the hardware.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

          What people are tracking and reporting serials? and disabling and finding the device are pretty mutually exclusive. As others have pointed out, Apple will likely prefer making money from app sales on these devices, while some insurance company covers the monetary loss of the hardware.

          Apple is. If you buy an Apple device (or anything electronic, really), take a look on checkout - you'll find for MOST stuff, the serial number gets scanned. This is not just for the store - the store's backend often reports the

  • First post! (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:08AM (#41999533)

    Sent from my brand new iPad.

    • Re:And The Culprit Is, (Score:5, Insightful)

      by Mashiki ( 184564 ) <mashiki.gmail@com> on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:30AM (#41999593) Homepage

      That was my first thought, that it was an inside job or serious help and an inside job. And to be honest you're not off on believing it either, there's an old bit in criminology where 70-80% of your theft comes from internal sources. Of that 70-80%, 40-50% of those people will steal regardless of whether or not they're going to get caught.

      Seriously the entire organization needs to be launched into the sun, it's the only way to be sure.

    • Please learn how to use the "a" tag.

    • Re:And The Culprit Is, (Score:5, Interesting)

      by LoRdTAW ( 99712 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @10:11AM (#42001311)

      TSA has nothing to do with freight, they are responsible for the safety of the travelling public. US customs handles freight shipments into and out of the country. But I doubt it was them. Most of the freight comes into warehouses located on the outskirts of the airport off the Nassau expressway at the end of Rockaway blvd. I lived 5 minuted from JFK and know numerous people who worked in and around JFK, luggage handlers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, customs agent, freight company managers etc.

      The best insight into freight theft came from a retired truck driver I know. Basically nearly all of the theft is committed by employees, managers and owners of the cargo companies. There are hijackings and sometimes a trailer is stolen but those are few and far between. The stories he told me (he was part of the theft problem, he wasn't ashamed about it) were often simple and mundane.

      Stealing HP computers bound for Israel? Open the boxes, take computers out, replace with rocks and deliver to airport. Unhappy Jewish person gets a box of rocks.

      How to steal 10 Playstation 2's (on launch day no less) bound for Best Buy's distribution center? Freight company stupidly hands him security seal to put on trailer door, he puts on seal but doesn't let it lock, freight employee is fooled and signs off. Stop truck remove a bunch of PS2's put seal back on trailer and actually let it lock. Best Buy stumped that PS2's were stolen en-route when seal was locked and signed off. They search trailer for holes or tampering but none found. Gets away with it and hocks PS2's for $800 each.

      Steal designer cloths? Many college kids get part time jobs at clothing stores, usually lazy or ignorant of shipments. He steals 2 boxes from a shipment of 20 boxes. Clueless college kid receives 18 boxes, doesn't count them and signs for 20 boxes.

      Designer hand bag shipment stored at warehouse? Company owner makes entire skid disappear from warehouse over night. Blames employees for theft.

      The list could go on but those were the stories I remember. And it wasn't only him but many others who stole: warehouse workers, truck drivers, managers, bosses/owners. You name it, they stole it. So no doubt it was an inside job.

      • Re: (Score:3)

        by Gilmoure ( 18428 )

        In high school, one summer, I worked at a small department store. Seemed like more stuff walked out the back then out past the registers. Funny thing was, the manager would tell us (stock room) he was having stuff delivered for him personally and at end of day, would bring his truck around and decide what was his delivery. At end of month, he'd get upset at shrinkage and change procedures and such. Don't know if he realized a lot of the stock guys, including the manager, were also walking stuff out the back

  • What is it Obi Wan? (Score:5, Funny)

    by Provocateur ( 133110 ) <shedied AT gmail DOT com> on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:15AM (#41999553) Homepage

    I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of hipster voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened.

  • Tommy DeVito: [it becomes quiet] Funny how? What's funny about it? Anthony Stabile: Tommy no, You got it all wrong. Tommy DeVito: Oh, oh, Anthony. He's a big boy, he knows what he said. What did ya say? Funny how? Henry Hill: Jus... Tommy DeVito: What? Henry Hill: Just... ya know... you're funny. Tommy DeVito: You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a little fucked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fuckin' amuse

  • At first I thought... (Score:5, Insightful)

    by blind biker ( 1066130 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:41AM (#41999637) Journal

    I thought it was the TSA itself - but the iPad Mini is rather new, for the TSA to have stolen that many of them since launch, at least at a single airport.

  • More human stupidity? (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 16, 2012 @03:57AM (#41999677)

    They steal 1.5 mil worth of hardware, top of the shelf stuff? How are they going to sell it? In a year, hell, half a year, their value will go down by half. Soon after, another version will appear.

    Of all the stuff that passes through an airport, THAT's what they stole? The police have it easy, people who worked in that area the past three days and the past 5 years, then reduce that batch by seeing who the idiots are.

    Of course, if it's the TSA who probably have access everywhere, it will blow into an enormous scandal.

  • Wait... what?!? (Score:5, Funny)

    by cbope ( 130292 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @04:02AM (#41999689)

    What is a dead president doing with $1.5M worth of iPads in the first place?

  • And.... (Score:2, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward

    ... not a single fuck was given that day.

  • Otherwise I'm sure that ~4559 iPad boxes (@ USD 329 per unit) would certainly not fit in any standard pair of pallets that can be forklifted.

    • Re:Maybe 1.5M of Namibian Dollars (Score:5, Informative)

      by unkiereamus ( 1061340 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @05:47AM (#41999947)
      Well, I had to take some WAGs, but based on this image: http://assets.ilounge.com/images/uploads/ipadminifr2.jpg [ilounge.com] and the stated technical dimensions of the ipad mini of 7.8 x 5.3 x .28 inches, I'm guesstimating a packaging dimension of 8 x 5.5 x 1.25 inches. Assuming an ISO 40 x 48 inch pallet, and a stack height of 48 inches (and without running the math for an optimal stacking solution), I make it as each layer being 5 (40/8) x 8 (48/5.5) = 40 units, with 38 layers, for a total of 1520 units per pallet.

      Assuming that every one of them was the base model at $329, that would be just over a million dollars (1,000,160) for the two pallets, for the top of the line at $659, that's just over two million dollars (2,003,360).

      It's probably a mix of models, and obviously my WAGs are going to be off some, but really, 1.5 million for 2 pallets isn't a wholly unreasonable number.

      • Re:Maybe 1.5M of Namibian Dollars (Score:5, Informative)

        by unkiereamus ( 1061340 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @06:11AM (#42000017)
        I'm sorry, I forgot to address the weight issue. Per the Apple store, the weight ranges from 308-312g depending on model, and per their environmental report (http://images.apple.com/environment/reports/docs/iPadmini_PER_oct2012.pdf), the packaging weighs in at 333g, I couldn't easily find any numbers for the charger and cord etc, but I'm just going to go hog wild and round the whole thing up from 645g to 750g to cover them. So 1520*750 = 1,140,000g or 1,140kg or 2,513 lbs.

        Toyota's bottom of the line forklift (http://www.toyotaforklift.com/product/InternalCombustionCushionTireLiftTrucks/8seriesic.aspx) has a rated capacity of 3,000 lbs.)
      • FYI. I'm typing this on an iPad mini right now. Exact dimensions of the box:
        5.75" wide, 8.50" tall, 1.50" deep

        I picked it up at Target two days ago. No forklift, inside guy or fencing operation required.

        First Impressions

        I've owned an original iPad, the iPad 2 and the 3rd generation. I actually switch off between the two and the three regularly. The three has a better screen and processor, but the two is noticeably lighter and it makes a big difference if you're standing/walking while holding it wi

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by es330td ( 964170 )

        It's probably a mix of models

        Probably not, unless these were packaged for the eventual end retail location. If these were destined for a distribution point they would be large boxes of identical units. Back-end warehouse operation is very inefficient if similar items are randomly mixed.

  • What a pity (Score:5, Funny)

    by silentcoder ( 1241496 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @04:41AM (#41999795)

    the thieves didn't steal a container of biological warfare agents instead... it would have been a far less hazardous thing to try and fence.

  • LAX ? (Score:3)

    by vikingpower ( 768921 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @07:08AM (#42000199) Homepage Journal
    Now where the hell did this happen ? LAX or JFK ? Another great move by the hipster gangsters to conceal their identity.
  • So, in other words, $1.5M in overpriced electronics.
  • I just saw Goodfellas for the first time two nights ago. As I was reading the first sentence in the headline I was thinking to myself 'Hey just like in Goodfellas' . I have nothing else to add to the discussion (other than you'd think they'd have better security 40 years later), I just thought it was a really weird coincidence.

  • Old memes never die, they just fade away. (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    Came for 'and nothing of value was lost'. ... was disappointed.

  • Too bad they hadn't considered that nobody wants to buy them. I hope they enjoy all their ipad minis, lol.
  • So instead of an icepick in the back of the neck will these guys get stabbed with a stylus?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Gilmoure ( 18428 )

      You're thinking Newtons. They came with a crappy plastic stylus but you could get a nice third party one made out of steel and aluminum. That'll do the trick!

  • if only these things had some sort of built in tracking device
  • cant wait to buy one dirt cheap.......

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by j-beda ( 85386 )

      At $500 each, $1.5M is only 3000 devices. An extra 3000 iPads on the "second-hand" market is not going to have significant effect over the average selling price, and unless you personally know one of the thieves, it seems unlikely you'll be able to pick up one for a particularly low price.

  • That would take some time to get rid of that many iPad mini's via a back of a van. Likely they have a buyer(s) possibly overseas that's willing to take them as we found on Reddit AMA there are a few countries where Apple cannot sell except through certain middleman channels. I just don't see two guys selling a current version at a gas station/eBay and being able to move all of those without help (in sales).

    Although I do know a bunch of CEO's who would love to save handing out bonuses this year and will

    • Likely they have a buyer(s) possibly overseas that's willing to take them as we found on Reddit AMA there are a few countries where Apple cannot sell except through certain middleman channels.

      You mean we might end up seeing those iPad minis used as guidance systems for Iran's ICBMs? That would be even better than Stuxnet. They run iOS6 with Apple Maps.

  • Funny how? (Score:3)

    by PopeRatzo ( 965947 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @09:54AM (#42001153) Journal

    I wanna know, how is this fuckin' funny?

  • Wait a minute...
    We gotta strip search grandmas and children before they get on a plane, but someone can roll a truck into the airport containing *anything* and just roll out again with NO SECURITY?

    Then there's the incident with the Jet-skier who ran out of gas and washed ashore at JFK, hopped over a fence and then was able to walk through the airport and wasn't detained until *he* alerted security???

    Seriously, next time the terrorists attack, it won't be vai the normal vector of waiting online to go through

  • So, I've just figured out the business model for Quibids dot com. No wonder they can advertise on TV that they are selling Macbooks for $67, and iPads for $19 -- and I sat there thinking, "how the hell do they make money doing that?" ... Well, now I know.

    • Well, that's not how Quibids makes money. They make money because that Macbook was not sold for $67, it was sold for $67+$66+$65+$64...$1.
  • Wow who cares if I phones / iPad's get stolen. If you steel the under dog technology your not exactly doing very good. If you want to prove a point steel android phones and tablets.

  • JIMMYYYYYY! JIMMMYYYYYY! (Score:3, Funny)

    by mike260 ( 224212 ) on Friday November 16, 2012 @11:35AM (#42002419)

    YOU SONOFABITCH!

  • Did they have AppleCare coverage on them?
  • actually a crate of mirrors.

  • Please: take them all!

    8-PP

  • John F. Kennedy was assassinated decades before the iPad was created. I sense a hoax!

  • Follow up: They now have a suspect in custody. (Score:3)

    by drkim ( 1559875 ) on Sunday November 18, 2012 @03:10AM (#42017653)

    They now have a suspect in custody.

    Apparently this Apple thief 'genius' (see what I did there..?) was an employee at JFK and, "asked co-workers for details about the Apple shipment and about where he might get his hands on a forklift."

    More here:
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57551500-37/man-arrested-for-ipad-mini-theft-reportedly-had-maxi-mouth/ [cnet.com]

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