Apple Crime Log: Best Buy Insider Scam, Epstein Watches, Costco Heist + More
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Welcome to the Apple Crime Log, a semi-regular feature where we cover Apple-related crimes. This time around, a thief steals $7,000 worth of Macs from an electronics store, a Best Buy employee runs a MacBook discount scam, and Jeffrey Epstein really liked gifting Apple Watches.
Police Seeking Man Wanted for Theft of $7,000 in MacBooks
Police in Chesapeake, Virginia, are in search of an individual who they say walked out of an electronics store with close to $7,000 worth of MacBooks.
“The suspect removed multiple MacBook laptops from their packaging, concealed them, and exited the store without paying. The total loss was approximately $6,858.96,” Chesapeake Crime Line reported.
On December 12, 2025 between 3:13 p.m. and 3:37 p.m., the pictured suspect entered a department store in the 1500 block of Crossways Blvd and walked to the electronics section. The suspect removed multiple MacBook laptops from their packaging, concealed them, and exited the store without paying. The total loss was approximately $6,858.96.
While Police did not specify which store in the area had been hit by the thief, a quick Apple Maps search shows that while there are several stores in the area of the shared address, the only electronics store in the area appears to be a Best Buy.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP, (1-888-562-5887). Submit a tip online at P3TIPS.COM, or on their smartphone on the P3TIPS APP. Tips leading to the arrest of the individual or recovery of the stolen goods could result in an up to $1,500 cash reward.
Best Buy Employee Alleged Mastermind of MacBook Discount Scam
A male employee who worked at a South Florida Best Buy has been charged as the mastermind of a scam that saw the store’s discount system being manipulated to the tune of more than $118,000.
Police say Palm Beach Gardens Best Buy employee, Matthew Lattera, 36, initiated a large number of heavily discounted transactions during 2024. CBS 12 reports Lattera, over the course of 2024, made 97 discount transactions for himself, while making 52 such transactions for others. That resulted in total losses of $81,717.32 for Best Buy. It was also discovered that Lattera had also pawned multiple Apple MacBook Pro laptops, including several transactions at PayMore on Jog Road.
Jeffrey Epstein bought an Apple Watch for Steve Bannon
Earlier this year, we shared how disgraced financier and child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein gifted an Apple Watch Hermès to attorney Kathryn Ruemmler. He was apparently quite fond of gifting Apple Watches, and a new report indicates he also gave the premium wearables to several other “associates,” including future Trump adviser Steve Bannon.
The Washington Free Beacon reports that emails from the Epstein files recently released by the Department of Justice show that Epstein gifted Bannon an Apple Watch in 2019.
“Hey Lesley,” wrote Bannon’s nephew, Sean, referencing Epstein’s longtime assistant Lesley Groff. “Steve has been given his Apple Watch! Please let me know if you need anything else.” An unnamed Epstein associate sent the message to Epstein on the evening of Jan. 24, 2019, with the subject line, “Steve Bannon has his Apple Watch.”
Epstein was arrested in July 2019 and was found dead in his cell the following month. At that time, Bannon, was working on a never-released documentary about Epstein.
Police Seeking Bakersfield Woman Who Used Stolen Credit Card for Costco MacBook Purchase
KGET 17 News reports that police in Bakersfield, California, are searching for a woman who allegedly used a stolen credit card in October to purchase a MacBook from an area Costco.
According to the report, the credit card was stolen from a female customer at an area Trader Joe’s. A victim told police her credit card and phone were stolen from her purse. A short time later, a purchase of a MacBook Pro from the Costco on Rosedale Highway was recorded on the card.
Police released a photo of the suspect.
Anyone with information about the suspect is encouraged to contact Detective R. Fujihara at 661-326-3544 or BPD at 661-327-7111.
