“An iPad ‘test model’ was one of the items taken during a robbery and kidnapping at a Cupertino house earlier this month, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office,” Mark Gomez and Patrick May report for The San Jose Mercury News. “The sheriff’s office, which would not disclose more details about the stolen device, but said it has not been recovered. It’s unclear whether the Apple item was related to an upcoming product release or was an outdated model or test device.”
“The robbers took the device, along with electronics, prescription drugs and cash valued at $7,500, from a Cupertino home during an incident in which a 20-year-old man was kidnapped and robbed after answering a woman’s online advertisement,” Gomez and May report. “Authorities on Tuesday said the victim told detectives that ‘a test model iPad from Apple’ was taken along with the other items.”
“The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office has arrested Katherine Stump, 20, from Danville, and Alexander Nejat, 25, from Dublin on suspicion of four felonies, including kidnapping, first-degree robbery and making criminal threats. In the complaint, prosecutors allege one of them has a prior conviction for felony assault,” Gomez and May report. “Nejat was already in custody in Alameda County after being arrested by Pleasanton police in a similar case. Stump was arrested in the same Pleasanton case, was released and then was re-arrested in connection with the Cupertino case.”
“Deputies say on April 5, a young man in his 20s contacted a female from an ‘online advertisement’ and met the woman and a male associate two blocks away from his Cupertino house. They all drove to that house,” Gomez and May report. “Once inside, Stump threatened the victim with a knife and Nejat pepper-sprayed him in the face, deputies said. Stump and Nejat took the items and forced the victim into their car, driving him three-quarters of a mile from the house, then releasing him. The victim didn’t contact the sheriff’s office until five days later.
Much more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Gee, a “woman’s online advertisement,” huh? Wonder why it took him five days to report the crime? (dripping sarcasm)
One positive: Kidnapping convictions come with some considerable sentences.
Wonder if Gizmodo was contacted? (Probably not, as this dynamic duo likely had no idea what they had.)
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Edward W” for the heads up.]
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Dude, just go to a “bar” and forget this ‘woman’s online advertisement’ crap!
Yep MDN, Gizmodo jumped into my mind as well!
I wonder if the song a day mann has something to sing yet?
Ex-Apple employee I hope.
Why would he be an ex-apple employee for having been robbed? Anyone could get robbed.
If it’s a prototype you lock it up when you’re not using it.
Lock up? In your home? No you don’t. That’s not how these things work. Developers take them home to use, to test. They don’t lock them in a safe every time their out of eye sight.
Damn autocorrect…they’re.
I assume Gizmodo was driving the van.
“When Pleasanton police arrested Stump and Nejat, they had several phones and computers, which Stocking said investigators believe belong to other victims who may be reluctant to come forward. None of the items were from the Cupertino robbery, he said.”
So they were able to quickly turn the Apple gear to cash but were stuck with the other crap?
I think Timmy and Jony have a hit squad. There’s now a zero tolerance policy on taking new stuff home.