Apple will have a record of all of these devices. The mobile devices will just get blocked from the networks by their IMEI, rendering them useless, and it would be trivial for apple to locate the devices based on their serial number at time of registration.

The phones will be sold to a chop shop, which will take them apart and sell the parts, just as cars have long been to avoid getting caught.

In the 3 months since my phone was stolen, it never once connected to the Internet, preventing Find My iPhone from registering its existence ("Sound and Lost Mode Pending" until phone connects to Internet). That's how I know it was stolen by a pro network, working the busy Manhattan photocopy stores, swiping phones off counters when people like me are pre-occupied. The clerks at the store confirmed that this was a known (by them and the NYPD) and growing activity.

If Apple is following their own recommended best practices for device management, they'll also be enrolled in DEP and will just automatically deploy whatever MDM tool Apple uses as soon as they touch the Internet again. The MDM tool can then be used to locate and wipe the devices in an endless loop.

But I see them grabbing laptops. Those can be rooted and setup again. Right?

Yeah, but as soon as they connect to apple for registration/updates/etc they could (theoretically) be blocked again.

> Yeah, but as soon as they connect to apple for registration/updates/etc they could (theoretically) be blocked again.

But it's probably won't be the thief that will be left holding the bag, but rather sucker who buys the loot off of them.

Undoubtedly.

locked, but working parts only iphone 10 is still >$600.

Always make sure newer-model tech gear bought online is legit, otherwise you'll probably end up paying robbers for these stolen, and promptly bricked devices. Avoid craigslist, agree to a demonstration, meet in public (and sometimes designated) locations.

I don't know about Macs but the stolen iPhone retails for $20-40 a piece for high end and new devices (iPhone X). These devices are iCloud locked and it looks like there is no way to unlock them unless you are the real owner.

This robbery just shows you why some people stay poor. It has to do mostly with short-sightedness.

did you miss a zero somewhere? iphone 10 screen alone is 5 times your number

Not when it's sold by some sketchy dude that you meet in a McDonald's parking lot.

Aren't the devices connected to some iCloud account or an equivalent software device lock?

Unless they gut the existing hard drives, can they really even flip these devices? Find My Mac might foil their plans.

They're almost certainly provisioned with DEP, which fully automates installation of MDM tools even when the devices are wiped. As soon as the device reconnects to the Internet, it will phone home, load whatever MDM solution Apple almost certainly uses on their demo products, and will likely either wipe itself again or lock the device. The LTE-enabled devices will almost certainly have their IMEIs blacklisted by US carriers as well.

Assuming Apple is following best practices for MDM on iOS and Mac OS, these devices are pretty much useless for anything but parts (and even then: the logic boards are still useless).

When I worked for apple they would simply deactivate the devices and that'd be the end of it. Were never usable again.

Stealing what is essentially 26 GPS receivers which also phone home, doesn’t seem to be particularly smart.

This is the first apple store I've seen that doesn't have the laptop locks on.

why nobody trying to stop them? Is it normal in California or US? I can't believe this would happen in other country

Get shot for a few laptops that aren't yours anyway? No can do. Not to mention that the official policy in all robberies is to let the thieves take anything they want, so any employee that tries to do something will be fired anyway.

... And yet no one did anything. I do not ask for some kind of anonymous hero but if you see a thing like that you should at least try to block them from running.

Apple’s market cap exceeds the GDP of the bottom 171 countries in the world and you can bet their retail insurance policy dictates that employees take no action if the threat of violence is present. The average cost to treat a gunshot wound in the US is $154k.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/9183471/

Definitely not talking about employees, they are bound by contracts. But the customers they just stood there, watching. Not even a sign of doing anything.

so is that means rob the goods under $150k should not be stopped?

It simply means that your safety isn't worth trying to save a few thousand dollars of some corporation's equipment.

If you gonna get shot then definitely don't try to stop such robbery.

I'd not do it even if it was my $27k. First, these items are property of Apple. They are worth less than $27k as far as what cost them. Second, Apple can take $27k pretty easily. Third, they might have insurance. Fourth, Police might catch them and return the goods. Fifth, the goods might be damaged anyway for Apple standards.

There is literally 0 reasons to stop this crime unless you are law enforcement. You are not in Abidjan but the US. There is sufficient law to resolve matters.

Absolutely disagree. There were innocent bystanders that would have been put in jeopardy. Let them leave, it's just stuff. (and as other posters have mentioned, there are better ways of dealing with this - bricking the items, etc)

I would disagree. You're definitely risking violence because these people have a high need to escape. And the price of goods at stake? $27,000.

Agreed, some perspective is needed, the value of these goods is not worth your life. Even more so if it's not your own business. No doubt Tim Cook himself would be making a beeline for ducking under the table.

For $27k? Of goods that doesn't even belong to a natural person? That's nuts.

Sounds like a good way to put oneself in harms way for no good reason. Isn't this what insurance is for?

That is how you get stabbed/shot. There is a reason most police departments advise to give up property and not confront robbers

It's obviously rational not to resist robbers and all the reasons people tell you not to stand. But it's still noble if someone does, because it's potentially a deterrent to other robbers, and if nobody resists, some people are statistically going to be harmed anyway.

I feel a certain distaste for everyone saying don't fight back. Why can't we say "I'm not going to fight in that situation, but it's ok if other people want to"?

One guy near the exit did and he got plowed over.

If you watched the video or read the article you see a man trying to block them from running and getting knocked over.

No. You don't get involved in a robbery. Things could go real bad real fast. The robbers (kids) are full of adrenaline and are scared. Backed into a corner taking - out a knife is just a second away. Companies pay insurance for a reason.

Many stores will fire their own employees for trying to physically stop shoplifters [1]. If it's not worth their while to protect their own merchandise, why would I put myself at risk for it?

[1] https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/labor-employment-law/huma...

Never interfere unless you’re convinced that your life is in danger. Any police officer will tell you the same. Money can be replaced, and insured... your life is not.

it's going to need to be a lot more than $27,000 worth of stuff that doesn't even belong to me on the line before I'll risk bodily harm for it

Anon hero making $12 an hour so AAPL can have higher earnings? Nah, thanks, I'll pass. Not to mention that most likely you'll get fired. Apple, Walmart, Chase and all, would rather take the loss than pay $1000 an hour lawyers and potentially a multi-million judgment (Like it or not, you can't kill or hurt the thief for example).

To everyone that replied to my comment, you are absolutely right and I thing I judged too quickly this kind of situation. It should be left to the authorities as those guys can be armed or pose a threat to anyone. I dont think it is the same in Europe, you never see armed robberies.

From TFA:

> One customer right outside the entrance tried preventing the men from making a dash but fell down.

What if they are armed? I'm not sure if it's recommended to play a hero.

You are right, sometimes I forget how things are in the US. Not worth the risk.