Boulder, CO Apple Store burglarized, $100K door destroyed
updated 10:43 am EST, Mon February 18, 2013
Custom-made entrance was worth more than goods stolen
Apple's 29th Street retail store in Boulder, CO was burglarized on Saturday, resulting in $64,000 worth of merchandise being stolen. The thief used large rocks to smash through a custom-made door which was actually appraised as more valuable than the merchandise stolen before police arrived. The robbery happened in the early-morning hours on Saturday. Taken were several laptops, iPads and iPhones, which remain easy to fence and resell despite some security measures.
Should any of the stolen merchandise be connected to a network, police will be able to trace the location and potentially retrieve the items, even if they have been sold to an unsuspecting victim. Under Colorado law, the original owner has a right to reclaim the lost items at no cost even if they have been resold to innocent third parties.
Apple has technology built into Mac and iOS devices that allows them to be tracked if stolen. However, the company would be unlikely to demand a return of the devices from unknowing buyers, as insurance claims would cover the cost of both the actual items stolen and the replacement of the glass door.
Though aesthetically distinctive, Apple's policy of using extensive glass storefronts has come into question as smash-and-grab and vehicle-based destruction of the storefronts has become a common method for stealing Apple merchandise. The company has thus far resisted the usual metal-barricade or concrete post protective defenses adopted by stores that also use glass doors and storefronts.
Though store video from Apple has not yet been released publicly, police say the suspect is likely to be male, and was wearing white gloves along with a black hoodie and baseball cap, which may have made getting a description of the suspect difficult. Anyone with possible information on the theft is encouraged submit tips anonymously through Crime Stoppers or contact the Boulder Police Department by calling 303-441-1974.
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: 04-08-09
Goal of security
I'm not sure the goal of the security measures is to recover the merchandise as much as it is to trace the chain of possession back to the thief/thieves.