Pair steals computers from Berkeley Apple Store
Last week, thieves struck twice at the Berkeley Apple store on back-to-back days, taking tens of thousands of dollars in goods.
Two young men took four laptops from the Fourth Street Apple Store on Monday evening, according to police and community reports.
The incident took place just before 6:40 p.m., shortly before closing, when the pair grabbed several laptops from the display table near the entrance.
The young men ran out of the store as the alarms sounded, a witness told The Berkeley Scanner.
"Security was there but did nothing," he said. "After a couple of minutes of confusion, the store went back to normal."
Police confirmed the community reports on Monday night.
No arrests have been made.
Last week, thieves struck twice at the Berkeley Apple Store on back-to-back days, taking tens of thousands of dollars in goods.
Fourth Street is one of Berkeley's most popular shopping districts.
Its location near the freeway also makes it a target at times for property crimes.
Emilie Raguso
There have been about 30 commercial burglaries on Fourth Street and nearby in the past six months, according to CrimeMapping.com, as well as 14 felony thefts (over $950) and seven misdemeanor thefts.
There have also been 16 auto burglaries and four vehicle thefts, but other crimes remain low.
Fourth Street management said they believe the neighborhood is seeing trends similar to those occurring elsewhere in California as far as retail theft, and that attempts to solve the problem are underway, including at the state level.
The Berkeley Police Department used to have an officer posted outside the Apple Store for deterrence and law enforcement purposes.
That assignment, which was an overtime shift paid for by the Apple Store, is not currently being offered because Berkeley police staffing is so low.
Note: This story was updated shortly after publication with a comment from Fourth Street management.
