The next time you buy a computer from Apple, you may want to look over your shoulder. A group of thieves is stealing computers from Apple customers after they leave the stores.
Detectives in Manhattan Beach were investigating over 15 cases in which computers were stolen from vehicles of customers who shopped at the Village Mall on Sepulveda Boulevard, Police Sgt. Brian Brown stated in the LA Times.
Brown said the suspects chose their target and followed them to another shop or a parking spot near their home. When the computers are left unattended, the thieves would strike.
In another case, the Orange County district attorney's office charged three Los Angeles residents last month with burglary and grand theft, according to the Times. Garzon Diaz, Louis Lopez and John Rodriguez allegedly broke into vehicles 28 times and stole computers from customers who had visited Apple retail stores, the Times reported. They were caught in a sting operation trying to steal a computer from an undercover police officer's car.
Authorities were looking into whether all the cases were connected. Orange County officials believe the crimes are the work of a larger ring that has taken more than 100 computers in the LA area, according to the Times.
Police say the crime can be easily prevented if customers don't leave computers in their cars.
