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Pittsburgh Apple store burgled again

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Walnut Street Apple Store in the Shadyside neighborhood is closed this morning due to a smash-and-grab theft.

A cinder block was used to shatter the glass doors of the store sometime around 5:30 AM, and a phone call to the store confirms that they were indeed closed this morning. According to the Post-Gazette, the thieves made off with thousands of dollars worth of MacBooks and iPods.

This isn't the first time we've seen the Shadyside store victimized by criminals. Back in November, it made national news with another smash-and-grab crime.

Of course, any storefront retail outlet with thousands of dollars' worth of portable/fenceable inventory is likely to be a prime target for theft. Sadly, it happens way more frequently than we'd like.

Thanks to Steve A. for the tip.

Correction: Changed 'robbery' to burglary/theft to be accurate. –Ed.



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According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Walnut Street Apple Store in the Shadyside neighborhood is closed this morning due to a...
 

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jergreen

This is why the Grand Central Apple Store may not have been the best idea -- although I imagine they would have had mad security for that.

March 21 2011 at 12:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Dragonx280

I think its time to move up to military grade Glass bullet , impact etc something that takes longer to break. this way local police have time to respond. Also why is there no general alarm ?

March 20 2011 at 10:28 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ian666777

Pittsburgh is a strange town. So many sections where people are super rich, but the area as a whole is a true working class. How many US cities can you name that have dollar special beers in almost every bar even on Fridays and Saturdays? As a poor college student it was heaven! Hopefully the apple stuff will remain out of robbers hands.

March 17 2011 at 6:44 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John B

At that hour there are people out and about in that neighborhood, including joggers and dog walkers. You would think this would have been detected and reported within 60 seconds, especially considering how the weather has turned mild here.

I’d hate to be one of the suckers who buys any of this merchandise. It will “phone home” after which you can expect a knock at the door. Whatever the “bargain price” is, it won’t seem very good then.

March 17 2011 at 5:53 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Chris K

Josh,

I'm hope I'm not being overly picky when I say that "Robbery, robbers, robbed" are the inaccurate description for this crime. Robbery implies violence (or threat thereof) against another person(s). Some less reputable publications use this word to sensationalize what is, in fact, theft, larceny, burglary, etc.

Chris

March 17 2011 at 5:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SSteve

I'm sure rolldown shutters are not a mysterious unknown to Apple. It's a matter of cost vs. benefit. Losses due to smash and grab theft are $X. Cost of installing and maintaining shutters at all stores is $X * Y. If Y is below a certain multiple it makes more sense to absorb the occasional theft.

March 17 2011 at 5:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
John L

I guess they didnt know about the invention "metal rolldown shutters"
they can be installed inside so you dont even see them from outside.
Walk into any mall and you will see them at closing time.
Unless they smash a vehicle through it their not getting through.

March 17 2011 at 5:11 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to John L's comment
Charli

Not Apple's style. That would block the displays in the windows and that's part of their advertising.

March 20 2011 at 3:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Kyle Bandy

For the love of pants, this is a case of *burglary*, not robbery. If the offenders went up to an Apple Store employee and threatened their well-being if they didn't follow their demands, then it would be robbery. If the offender breaks into a building and takes items (as is the case here), then it's burglary.

March 17 2011 at 4:21 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jon Milani

If only Apple used Gorilla glass...

March 17 2011 at 4:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
dan.diemer

" the robbers made off with thousands of dollars worth of MacBooks and iPods"

so... like one in each hand?

March 17 2011 at 3:46 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to dan.diemer's comment
Charli

If that store is anything around the size of the one by my apartment there are about 20 laptops, 20 iphones, about 16 ipads, 10 ipod touches and a dozen nanos/shuffles/classics right on the display tables. And they aren't glued down.

Smash, run in, take a pair of wire cutters to the cables and stack them up. A crew of say 8 could clean all that out rather fast.

March 20 2011 at 3:10 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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