Everyone has heard the phrase, “Crime doesn’t pay.”
That adage appears to hold doubly true if you’re trying to criminalize ubiquitous tech conglomerate Apple.
Amid the ongoing anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement riots in California, opportunists have predictably tried to take advantage of the chaos by lining their own pockets with looted goods.
The looting issue has been especially prevalent with this recent spate of rioting, similar to what happened in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death, as reported on by KNBC.
Stores of major brands like Apple and Adidas were looted amid the anarchy in downtown Los Angeles on Monday.
KNBC noted that police arrested 14 individuals linked to looting.
Local independent reporter Brendan Gutenschwager shared some of the harrowing video:
WARNING: The following video contains vulgar language that may offend some readers.
Apple store in downtown LA being looted tonight pic.twitter.com/3k5i7wKiSG
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) June 10, 2025
Los Angeles Police Department Officer Chris Miller told reporters that at least one woman had been apprehended in connection with the Apple Store thefts.
Alas, whomever else may have been involved in looting iPhones from the local Apple Store likely aren’t enjoying the fruits of their labor.
And that’s because, thanks to another video shared by Gutenschwager, it appears that Apple had a contingency — and an ominous message — for would-be shoplifters.
Alarms blaring on multiple iPhones that were taken from the Apple store in downtown LA
Displays on the devices read
“Please return to Apple Tower Theatre
This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” pic.twitter.com/rhMiaRXA9z— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) June 10, 2025
This time, Gutenschwager shared video of a stack of seemingly stolen iPhones that were abandoned, all blaring the same shrill alarm and all sporting the same foreboding warning.
“Please return to Apple Tower Theatre,” the white-texted message began. “This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.”
Tempers boiled over in California last week, when various ICE raids targeting illegal immigrants were met with grand resistance from Californians.
That chaos spilled into and through the weekend, with Trump having to call in both the National Guard and the Marines to help quell the rioting protesters.
Now, nearly a week into these riots, it’s clear that at least some of the protesters are shifting their focus from combating ICE to getting the latest iOS update.
Too bad for them Apple was prepared for it this time around.
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