Three suspected thieves, including a man caught on video boldly swiping 50 iPhones from an Apple Store, were tackled by a joint task force involving Emeryville and Berkeley police. According to a press release by the Emeryville Police Department, the theft occurred at Bay Street Emeryville's Apple Store, and the merchandise was valued at $49,230.
Captured by a witness and shared on social media, the video shows the crook coolly strolling past an unoccupied Emeryville PD patrol car parked as a deterrent. As reported in an update by Henry K. Lee of KTVU, the vehicle, likened to a "shoplift scarecrow," was a silent sentinel at the time of the robbery. Tyler Mims, a 22-year-old from Berkeley, has been snatched up for his alleged involvement in this theft as well as others.
This guy yanks & steals dozens of iPhones from @Apple store at @BayStEmeryville in broad daylight, then casually walks past parked @EmeryvillePD car before leaving in Hyundai Elantra. 📹 courtesy @YayAreaNews pic.twitter.com/JShyutGB0y
— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) February 7, 2024
Following a string of similar incidents at the same location since January 19, detectives had coordinated with other affected agencies, labeling these instances "organized retail crimes." Their collaborative efforts with the Berkeley PD and the California Highway Patrol paid off when they pinned down the culprits. Mims, nabbed on February 7, is facing a slew of charges, including three counts each of conspiracy to commit a crime, burglary, grand theft, and organized retail theft.
The police are actively digging for more intel on these crimes and have reached out, asking anyone with information about thefts tied to the Apple Store in Emeryville to contact the Emeryville Police Department Investigations Unit.
