Crooks Steal $1.5M In iPads From JFK 144
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."
Re:Serialized? (Score:5, Interesting)
But maybe the police does care to catch the criminals involved...
More human stupidity? (Score:5, Interesting)
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.
Maybe 1.5M of Namibian Dollars (Score:1, Interesting)
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:Serialized? (Score:3, Interesting)
And Apple is possibly not even hit by this theft directly
They are hit directly, but not like you think. Firstly, someone is now out a few boxes of iPads, so they have to be replaced. More money for Apple. Also, assuming these iPads get sold and the new "owners" start buying apps, there are now even more app sales. Even more money for Apple.
It might be in the insurers interest to brick these stolen devices and make them unusable, but it's not in Apples interest.
Re:Serialized? (Score:1, Interesting)
Talk to the government, it's a well known fact that most robbery rings operating out of airports are run by the TSA.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/investigators&id=7447038
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=266573
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/convicted-tsa-officer-reveals-secrets-thefts-airports/story?id=17339513
etc.
Re:And The Culprit Is, (Score:5, Interesting)
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.