Driver Tries to Turn Illinois Apple Store Into After-Hours Drive-Thru

Police in Naperville, Illinois are investigating a possible burglary at their local Apple Retail Store after a car smashed through the location’s front glass entrance after hours.

Police responded shortly after 6 a.m. on Monday morning after receiving a report that a vehicle had driven into the Naperville Apple Store at 120 West Jefferson Avenue. Police believe the attempt to turn the store into a drive-thru was connected to a burglary attempt.

When officers arrived at the scene of the incident, they found a beige Hyundai Elantra crashed through the front door of the store. However, the driver of the car had already fled the scene, according to the Chicago Tribune.

While police were initially unsure if the incident was an accident or an intentional attempt at breaking into the store, they did find that the store’s security shutters were partially open and “an undisclosed number of electronic devices” stolen.

A police officer told the Tribune that the car’s driver drove “straight through the parking lot” located across the street before ramming the storefront. Photographs of the scene show the vehicle smashed through the front doors of the retail building, leaving the other window panel unscathed.

Apple Store employees who were standing outside of the store were initially unable to determine whether anything had been stolen as part of the incident. However, police spokeswoman Kelly Munch later told the Tribune in an email that three suspects “took a number of electronic items and fled in a dark-colored SUV.” Police also believe the thieves used a stolen car. Apple has yet to release an official comment about the incident.

It’s not the first time the location has been the target of thefts. Multiple robbery incidents have occurred there, including an early morning 2010 burglary where over $24,000 in products were stolen.

Not the First Apple Store Incident Involving a Vehicle

This incident is also not the first time a vehicle has rammed into an Apple Store. While no one was injured in Monday’s crash in Illinois, one person was killed and 20 people were severely injured in a November 2022 incident when the driver of an SUV crashed his vehicle through the front glass of the Apple Derby Street location in Hingham, Massachusetts.

According to NBC Boston, 52-year-old Bradley Rein drove his Toyota 4Runner through the front glass of the Derby Street Apple Store, stopping only when the vehicle hit the rear wall of the store. Rein, who was uninjured in the incident says it was an accident. Rein accompanied police officers to the Hingham Police Department, where he voluntarily took a breathalyzer test, which came back negative.

The 4Runner’s data recorder indicated that five seconds before the crash, the vehicle accelerated to 60 mph and the recorder showed no indication that the brakes were applied.

The driver had told investigators that the vehicle’s accelerator became stuck and that he tried to apply his brakes.

The vehicle also made a left during the last moment before the crash.

17 people were treated by doctors at South Shore Hospital, while other victims were taken to a Boston hospital for treatment. The injuries, which included head traumas and “mangled limbs” were described as “life and limb threatening.” 65-year-old Kevin Bradley was pronounced dead at the scene.

Rein was initially charged with reckless homicide in connection with the incident. A grand jury indicted him on over two dozen charges, including an upgraded murder charge. Rein is currently awaiting trial on the charges.