The Apple Store located on 4th Street in Berkeley, California, was once again the target of a brazen theft, marking another incident in a string of similar crimes plaguing the location. Berkeley Police Department (BPD) responded to a report of theft at the store on Thursday, adding to the growing concerns about retail crime in the area.
According to preliminary reports from the Berkeley Police Department, the incident occurred at approximately 12:15 p.m. Two male suspects entered the Apple Store on 4th Street and swiftly stole a significant amount of merchandise. The stolen items included 16 iPhones, 6 iPads, and 4 MacBook computers. The suspects then fled the scene in a silver sedan before law enforcement arrived. BPD has indicated that the initial details are subject to change as the investigation progresses.
This latest theft at the Apple Store, situated at 1823 Fourth St., follows a closely related incident just the day before. On Wednesday, a separate individual entered the same Berkeley Apple Store and made off with an estimated 75 iPhones around 12:20 p.m. In response to the Wednesday theft, police in Oakland successfully apprehended three individuals in connection with the crime. Authorities are investigating if these incidents are related or part of a larger pattern of organized retail theft targeting Apple Stores.
This is not an isolated occurrence for the Apple Store 4th Street location. January saw a concerning spike in theft incidents at the same Berkeley store, with police reporting five separate attempts throughout the month. While two of these attempts were thwarted, the thieves successfully stole devices in the other three incidents. The repeated targeting of the Apple Store on 4th Street highlights a persistent challenge for local businesses and law enforcement in combating retail theft.
The problem extends beyond Berkeley, as the Apple Store in Emeryville at Bay Street has also experienced a series of thefts. The E’ville Eye reported at least four thefts at the Emeryville Apple Store on Bay Street in recent weeks, indicating a broader trend of Apple Store locations becoming targets for thieves in the East Bay area.
For comprehensive coverage of the ongoing issues at the Berkeley Apple Store and related incidents, refer to The Berkeley Scanner’s dedicated section on Berkeley Apple Store thefts.
