In a rather amusing incident, a woman residing in Fujian province, southeastern China, was apprehended for attempting to steal an iPhone 14 Plus. While iPhone thefts are not uncommon, the method employed in this case added a comical twist to the situation.
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HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 20: An iPhone 14 Pro Max is seen on display at an AT&T store on October 20, 2022 in Houston, Texas. AT&T stock has climbed over 9 percent after having a successful third quarter.
Chewing Anti-Theft Cable at Apple Store
Instead of the typical approach, Phone Arena reported that this woman resorted to a rather unusual tactic - she chewed through the anti-theft cable that is meant to safeguard display devices in the Apple Store from theft. In a beaver-like fashion, she gnawed through the cable and made off with the phone.
Our available information indicates that the individual with the last name "Qiu" initiated her visit to the store in a seemingly ordinary manner. She perused several Apple products, but it was evident that the iPhone held her primary interest.
Surveillance camera footage from the store unveiled the thief's unusual actions - she began biting through the anti-theft cable discreetly when there were no other customers nearby.
While holding a phone in her hand, she positioned it on the display table and proceeded to explore one of the showcased phones. Eventually, she paused, casting discreet glances around, seemingly checking for any onlookers.
As the sole individual present in that section of the store, she daringly decided to gnaw at the cord securing one of the phones to its display stand. Remarkably, she managed to cut the cord and promptly concealed both phones in her bag before calmly leaving the store premises.
Discovering the Incident
The theft transpired on August 8th at an Apple store located in Fuzhou, the capital city of the southeastern Fujian province, as reported by AsiaOne.
The woman's actions triggered an alarm within the store. Unfortunately, the staff from the Apple store quickly dismissed it as a false alarm and deactivated the alert system after being preoccupied with other customers.
The police were reported immediately when they found out the phone was missing, and one of the cables was no longer connected to any device.
According to The Straits Times, law enforcement immediately captured the thief by employing a blend of facial recognition technology and tracking analysis. This effective operation resulted in her arrest at her home, an impressive feat achieved in just about 30 minutes.
Upon her return home, the woman hadn't had a chance to use the pilfered device, which, notably, was an Apple iPhone 14 Plus valued at 7,000 yuan or almost a thousand dollars.
During the interrogation, Qiu clarified to the police that she had originally misplaced her phone and had intentions of buying a replacement. However, upon discovering the steep price, which she considered unaffordable, she regrettably opted for the unfortunate course of action-stealing the phone instead.
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