Filed under: iPod Family, Odds and ends
39 iPods gone in 15 seconds
Stories about iPods getting ripped off in New York City are nothing new. Crowded subways, buses and Starbucks are breeding grounds for theft. But those of us who live in the Big Apple like to think that the suburbs are safe havens. Turns out we're deluding ourselves, as is proven by the fact that in Riverdale, Utah, three hoodlums (who happen to be from New York) made off with 39 iPods along with a few PS2 games from the local Target in a mere fifteen seconds! The caper itself was rather impressive, as the surveillance camera revealed. The thieves had a lookout in the aisle and a driver waiting outside in the getaway car. And somehow it seems they were able to smuggle their loot out in an oversized pair of pants! They were spotted 10 minutes later when they tried to pull the same thing in another Target a few miles away, but left empty-handed after not being able to break the secure iPod case before police arrived. A Target security guard managed to get their license plate and just a short while later they were caught by the cops heading toward the interstate. Police say the punks were planning to hit other Target destinations as well - they found a map of every Target store in Utah and Nevada in the car and similar maps of Arizona.
Apparently Target is an easy target when it comes to high-priced toys. Perhaps they should consider the Targus iPod Lock?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bophojones said 10:01PM on 10-11-2006
I don't know what these stores were doing, because when i worked in electronics at my local Target store we had ALL iPods and video games locked inside glass cases (for this very reason). You had to have a team member come unlock the case for you, and had to purchase the iPod on the spot back in electronics. Eh, maybe the rules are different in Iowa (not to slam anyone).
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Liquidmark said 10:15PM on 10-11-2006
"These may be clever tricks in NY, but not here in Utah"
LOL!
Seriously, They would have got away with it, They just got greedy. I mean, come on, $7000+ split three ways is a good payday.
Now retailers in Utah are all sticking their chest out like they're Magnum PI or something. Really kind of insulting if you ask me. They only caught some big city rejects that wanted to hit some soft targets for a few grand.
Let them and their police force have this thing happen every day with the same security that they have right now. Let's see how clever a crook has to be then.
Smart crooks would not have tried to strike gold twice on the same day.
Smarter crooks would have cased the stores and hit them after they closed.
Either way, it's a felony.
Not that I'm a career criminal or anything. Just, if you're going to do something wrong, do it right!
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Liquidmark said 10:21PM on 10-11-2006
"These may be clever tricks in NY, but not here in Utah"
LOL!
Seriously, They would have got away with it, They just got greedy. I mean, come on, $7000+ split three ways is a good payday.
Now retailers in Utah are all sticking their chest out like they're Magnum PI or something. Really kind of insulting if you ask me. They only caught some big city rejects that wanted to hit some soft targets for a few grand.
Let them and their police force have this thing happen every day with the same security that they have right now. Let's see how clever a crook has to be then.
Smart crooks would not have tried to strike gold twice on the same day.
Smarter crooks would have cased the stores and hit them after they closed.
Either way, it's a felony.
Not that I'm a career criminal or anything. Just, if you're going to do something wrong, do it right!
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Mark said 10:22PM on 10-11-2006
I work at Target and I can tell you that it is not very easy to get out of a Target store and not get caught. They have cameras everywhere in the store and there is almost always a security officer walking around undercover throughout the store. The Target corporation even has a forensics lab that rivals some of the top forensic labs in the country. Everything in every store is recorded and kept for at least a year and when an incident happens in one store every store in the area knows about it within minutes usually. It is not that easy!!!
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Rae said 10:58PM on 10-11-2006
"They only caught some big city rejects that wanted to hit some soft targets for a few grand."
*rimshot*
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Zeke said 11:03PM on 10-11-2006
Another Target Electronics alum here...
Big Brother would definitely drool at the Assets Protection in any Target store. Cameras are everywhere, yes. But how closely are the dozens of cameras watched? Considering how normal team members don't even see the camera rooms or know the entire AP staff, I wouldn't be one to say. But if this really was pulled off in 15 seconds, I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't noticed on the cameras.
iPods are usually not at the center electronics boat (the station with digicams and registers). They're in a separate aisle at my store. All you need is a case left open- or a key, which many team members carelessly leave right next to the register.
To summarize, key + crazy speed = security circumvention. These guys were stupid to try it more than once.
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Zeke said 11:05PM on 10-11-2006
...Oh, and another thing: Steve Jobs should be proud of himself. His reduced package sizing allows for not only reduced fossil fuel consumption, but you can fit 39 of 'em in one pair of pants!
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Justin said 12:09AM on 10-12-2006
@ Mark
Come on, I don't mean to point you out but mot of us know your lying. First off, if you work at Target, why would you be telling us that there are "Undercover" Target security guards and cameras EVERYWHERE? Why would a DEPARTMENT store have a FORENSICS lab? Why would they keep security tapes for a year? and how would neighboring stores know about it within "minutes" seeing how Targets are "usually" not stationed close together.
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Liquidmark said 12:14AM on 10-12-2006
"It is not that easy!!!"
It's easier (And safer) in a low crime state than in NY. Target may have cameras and all but it 's still the people that have to handle the situation. I mean come on, once they leave the store, left the parking lot and switched vehicles (Something they should have done), they got away. Pictures or not.
Not that I'm saying "go out and commit a crime", but here's what they should have done.
1) Wore hats or visors. See number 2.
2) Keep their heads DOWN. So their faces don't show up on camera, duh.
3) Have another vehicle to switch over to after hitting a store. That way, if you get pulled over, all the police have is a video of them trying to open the case. They can survive that.
4) Have a fouth person to handle the vehicle switch and case the store before they hit it. Plus, if they get caught, their outside guy can still sell the items. IF he's a loyal crook, he can make sure his pals at least have a comfortable time while they are in jail or prison.
5) If security is too tight, hit the store at night!
I'm just sayin'
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Don Wilson said 12:20AM on 10-12-2006
Welcome to a year ago when this was new news.
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Hank said 1:11AM on 10-12-2006
I live in New York. I shop at Target. Those puppies are locked up safer than Joan Rivers real face round here.
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Gary said 1:40AM on 10-12-2006
Actually, Target Corp. really does have a huge forensics lab. I read up on it awhile ago. And from what I remember, many government agencies have worked with them in the past.
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Justin Wong said 2:19AM on 10-12-2006
@ Gary
Oh okay i guess Mark's right then. Sorry about that. But still makes you wonder, why would Target have a forensics lab?
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Hone said 3:34AM on 10-12-2006
@Justin
Why do they have a forensics lab ?
So they can skillfully hide the bodies ;)
No seriously read this at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_Corp#Target_Forensic_Services
" .... to investigate instances of theft and fraud and other criminal actions that occurred on its own properties."
That and they are philanthropists ...
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Matt said 10:30AM on 10-12-2006
Pretty crazy!! I live in centerville where they got caught. Idiots! that is funny that a local story would find its way on TUAW
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ChillyWilly said 11:04AM on 10-12-2006
I'm in Salt Lake valley and the Target stores in Ft. Union and West Jordan have their iPods and all other tech toys locked up. You can't even buy Game Boy games off the shelf, as they are locked up in the cases as well.
I saw this story on the news last night and wondered if it would find it's way to the pages of TUAW.
These NY guys must have thought that Utah was still pretty laid back. Crime is crime and no area in the US is exempt anymore.... even here in red-state Mormonville.
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