IPhone 4 theft suspects plead no contest, get wrists slapped

The two men accused of taking a prototype iPhone 4 from a bar and shopping it around to various tech blogs instead of doing the decent thing and returning the phone to its owner -- which is theft no matter how you try to spin it -- have essentially received a slap on the wrist. CNET reports both suspects have received one year of probation, 40 hours of community service, and a US$250 fine -- a drop in the bucket compared to the amount they received in compensation from Gizmodo.

The judge in the case noted that neither suspect had prior convictions, which led him to decline the district attorney's request that they serve jail time. So let this be a lesson to the rest of you: if you steal a prototype device from the world's most valuable company and sell it at a profit of several thousand dollars, you can expect some pretty hardcore consequences. Probation, 40 hours of picking up highway trash, and 250 bucks... harsh sentencing, man. Just brutal. I'm sure no one will risk that kind of punishment if Apple ever loses another prototype.

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Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-31001_3-20118911-261/iphone-theft-…

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The two men accused of taking a prototype iPhone 4 from a bar and shopping it around to various tech blogs instead of doing the decent...

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pbergsen

Very disappointing that you're framing it as outright theft here. These gentlemen actually tried to return it to Apple but we're turned away several times by Apple support employees. This doesn't make up for the fact that they subsequently sold it but it's just wrong to characterize this situation as someone finding someone and not giving it back.

October 13 2011 at 11:03 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to pbergsen's comment

TUAWT

How would a generic Apple customer service line know about a lost phone, let alone a prototype? I don't know why you wouldn't characterize it that way, it's what happened: They found something. Then they ended up not giving it back.

October 14 2011 at 2:34 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Brian E

It sounded like a plea bargain to me. nothing wrong with that. It is sites like this that thrive on the gossip. What punishment do you think would be appropriate?

October 12 2011 at 9:21 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Brian E's comment

Daniel

I'd say they should have had to forfeit the entire 5k. Though I'm sure they spent that and then some on lawyers. Anyways, sounds reasonable for misdemeanor theft, the consequences of which was apple getting free publicity. Everyone expected the 4 to come out when it did, so the company line of "it cost us money because people waited to buy the new phone" is hogwash. I was off contract at the time and waiting for it to come out myself, before this ever happened.

October 13 2011 at 5:15 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

*e*

Good lord, get over it. They took a phone that was lft behind. If you think that's worth jail time, you clearly have no idea what real crime is like and what jailing soft crime perps does to them.

Why send them away for something so stupid? So they can come out worse?

Get over the apple fanboyism outrage. I doubt even apple wanted these guys in jail...

No how about focusing on an apple employee leading people to believe he's a cop and strong arming his way into a private residence...a much more problematic crime....albeit one that was completed inside the law's letter.

October 12 2011 at 8:51 PM Report abuse Permalink -3 rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to *e'*s comment

Shannon Doherty

Next time you "leave behind" your wallet, I hope you are as understanding.

October 12 2011 at 9:43 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Shannon Doherty's comment

*e*

I'd realize a) it was my fault b) cancel my cards c) wouldn't want the person going to jail over a found wallet I left behind.

Now back to this matter of the former cop strong arming the private citizen after another apple employee was irresponsible....

October 12 2011 at 11:14 PM Report abuse Permalink -2 rate up rate down

TUAWT

You make utterly no sense at all.

You're telling me you would say it's your own fault for the person who found it to keep your wallet, your money, your cards and use them? It's your fault for losing it but it stops there. Your fault ends there. It's entirely the thief's fault for taking and keeping your wallet and using what's inside. There are different levels of responsibility here.

Apple did "cancel". They disabled the phone remotely so that it wouldn't work. Short of teleportation, I don't see how they could have gotten it back in that case. Any Find my iPhone software or otherwise would not work if erased and shut down.

You wouldn't want a person who decided to keep your wallet and sell it to go to jail? What if the physical wallet itself is valuable, designer label and diamond-encrusted or gold plated. Point is the iPhone prototype was physically worth value, so what if your actual wallet was too and they decided to take it and keep it and sell it to someone else, profiting off something that doesn't belong to them whatsoever. That's wrong. And legally wrong. Wrong actions are punished by law.

Your ethical boundaries are showing clearly and highly questionable.

October 13 2011 at 10:16 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down