Thieves tunnel into Apple Store in US, steal 436 iPhones worth Rs 4.10 crore

The recent theft of 436 iPhones, worth an estimated $500,000 (around Rs 4.1 crore), from an Apple Store in Lynnwood, Washington, has left many people stunned. Breaking into an Apple Store's secured doors seems like an insurmountable challenge for even the most ambitious burglars. However, in this case, the perpetrators took a different approach by tunnelling into the neighbouring Seattle Coffee Gear store earlier this month, creating a large hole in the bathroom wall to gain access to the backroom of the Apple Store, as reported by Seattle's King 5 News.

Surveillance footage reportedly shows the thieves entering and exiting Seattle Coffee Gear in less than 15 minutes. The CEO of the coffee appliance store, Mike Atkinson, posted an image on Twitter showing the damage allegedly left behind in the bathroom.

Replacing Seattle Coffee Gear's locks reportedly cost nearly $900, and the store anticipates that repairs to the bathroom will cost between $600 and $800. The police are investigating the crime, and the Alderwood Mall, where the stores are located, is cooperating with the authorities, Seattle's King 5 News reported. The speed and precision with which the crime was carried out have led some, including Atkinson, to suspect an inside job.

Apple has not commented on the theft, as the company historically refrains from discussing store thefts.

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