The FBI has joined local authorities in investigating a rash of burglaries and robberies at Apple Stores in the eastern United States, according to a Wednesday report from USA Today.

The agency is assisting in the investigations of more than a dozen Apple Store burglary and smash-and-grab robbery cases from Connecticut to Virginia, USA Today quoted FBI Special Agent J.J. Klaver as saying.

Recent Apple Store incidents include successful burglaries such as four separate break-ins in December that saw thieves make off with tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers, iPods, iPhones and iPads at stores located in Greenwich, Conn., Woodcliff, N.J., Pittsburgh and Naperville, Ill.

Other criminal ventures have not gone so smoothly. Just this week, one suspect was killed in a shootout with a security guard and two more were arrested during a break-in attempt at an Apple Store in Chula Vista, Calif., according to the Mac Observer. The same Woodcliff, N.J.-based Apple Store that was hit last December was targeted in 2008, when burglars broke in through a vacant furniture store next door, but police caught three of the four suspected burglars.

The Chula Vista shootout has been the only Apple Store robbery to involve a fatality, according to USA Today, though a 2009 robbery attempt in Arlington, Va. did result in a Apple Store employee getting shot.

Authorities attributed the rash of Apple Store robberies to factors ranging from the resaleability of Apple products on sites like eBay to the outlets’ trademark glass store fronts, which thieves can smash through with cars as they did in Monday’s Chula Vista robbery attempt.

via Rash Of Apple Store Robberies Catches FBI’s Attention | News & Opinion | PCMag.com.

The FBI has joined local authorities in investigating a rash of burglaries and robberies at Apple Stores in the eastern United States, according to a Wednesday report from USA Today.

The agency is assisting in the investigations of more than a dozen Apple Store burglary and smash-and-grab robbery cases from Connecticut to Virginia, USA Today quoted FBI Special Agent J.J. Klaver as saying.

Recent Apple Store incidents include successful burglaries such as four separate break-ins in December that saw thieves make off with tens of thousands of dollars worth of computers, iPods, iPhones and iPads at stores located in Greenwich, Conn., Woodcliff, N.J., Pittsburgh and Naperville, Ill.

Other criminal ventures have not gone so smoothly. Just this week, one suspect was killed in a shootout with a security guard and two more were arrested during a break-in attempt at an Apple Store in Chula Vista, Calif., according to the Mac Observer. The same Woodcliff, N.J.-based Apple Store that was hit last December was targeted in 2008, when burglars broke in through a vacant furniture store next door, but police caught three of the four suspected burglars.

The Chula Vista shootout has been the only Apple Store robbery to involve a fatality, according to USA Today, though a 2009 robbery attempt in Arlington, Va. did result in a Apple Store employee getting shot.

Authorities attributed the rash of Apple Store robberies to factors ranging from the resaleability of Apple products on sites like eBay to the outlets’ trademark glass store fronts, which thieves can smash through with cars as they did in Monday’s Chula Vista robbery attempt.

via Rash Of Apple Store Robberies Catches FBI’s Attention | News & Opinion | PCMag.com.