Apple Crime Log: 20 Stolen Cats, $14K Target Heists, and AirTag Justice
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It’s that time again. Time for us to take a deep dive into the world of Apple-related crime stories. In this edition, iPads are stolen from merchants, and AirTags lead cops to the bad guys — including a stolen truck packed with 20 cats.
Bad Actor Steals iPad, Cash From Coffee Shop
Buffalo police say a bad actor snuck into a coffee shop’s open window, stealing cash and an iPad. According to WGRZ, Overwinter Coffee, a cafe in Buffalo’s Elmwood neighborhood, had to close for a day after the theft.
Buffalo Police on Saturday confirmed that a suspect has been identified and a warrant has been issued.
“Detectives identified him through surveillance footage after he unlawfully entered the business through an open side window and stole approximately $600 in cash and an iPad,” police said.
Overwinter Coffee also has locations in downtown Buffalo, Kenmore, and Williamsville.
“Unfortunately, our Elmwood shop was broken into last night and our cash and iPad were taken. We will be closed today but should be back up and running tomorrow! Thank you for understanding,” the shop posted on social media.
Three Suspects Arrested for iPad Thefts From Target
A Houston-area trio has been arrested for stealing nearly $14,000 in iPads from a Target in Sugar Land, Texas.
KTRK reports that the three suspects, one of whom was a minor, were seen on store surveillance equipment breaking a display case, taking the iPads, and shoving them into a garbage bag before exiting the store.
Cops caught the suspects in the store’s parking lot, as they were attempting to leave the parking lot in a black passenger vehicle. When police detained the front seat passenger, another suspect attempted to flee on foot only to be caught. The cops took all three suspects into custody with no further incidents, and no injuries were reported.
Daniel Joseph Williams and Kamryn Joseph Prejean were booked into the Fort Bend County Jail on state jail felony theft charges, while the third suspect, who remains unnamed due to being a minor, was taken to the Fort Bend County Juvenile Detention Center on the same charge.
Investigators say the trio could be tied to similar thefts reported in Brazoria, Harris, and Galveston counties. Those cases are still being investigated and additional charges for the apprehended trio could be possible.
AirTag Signal Leads Police to Stolen Truck, 20 Cats
A stolen truck taken in Tacoma, Washington, in August contained an unusual cargo: twenty cats. The truck also contained an AirTag, which led county sheriffs to the vehicle and the purloined but still purring felines.
Radio station KIRO reports police followed the AirTag’s signal. When they arrived on scene, they discovered the two suspects still inside the truck, and deputies promptly arrested the pair. The woman had been attempting to feed the cats and give them water, but the felines unfortunately still appeared emaciated and had been exposed to ringworm, police say.
“The female [owner of the truck] had mentioned her cats were in the car,” Pierce County Sheriff’s Detective Josh Mills told the station. “The deputies asked her, ‘Well, how many cats?’ And she said she wasn’t actually very sure.”
“The cats seemed a little bit emaciated,” he said. “Some of their eyes were cloudy. It seemed like they were kind of unhealthy.”
The cats were taken to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, which was seemingly already overrun with cats after seizing another 101 from a Tacoma home last month.
AirTag Helps Cops Catch Cleveland Carjacker
A 24-year-old Cleveland man was arrested in August after he allegedly carjacked a woman at a gas station. Luckily, the woman had hidden an AirTag in the car, which led cops to the bad actor. He’s now been charged in federal court with carjacking and using a gun during a violent crime.
Cleveland.com reports that Christian Jones, 24, admitted to Cleveland police and an FBI agent that he carjacked the 67-year-old woman. He also wrote a letter of apology and asked the FBI agent to deliver it to the woman.
Jones was charged in federal court in Cleveland with carjacking and using a gun during a violent crime. He remains in custody at last report.
