Crime blotter: Man arrrested for $31,000 iPhone theft

News Crime blotter: Man arrrested for $31,000 iPhone theft Stephen Silver 0 e-mail BlueSky Mastodon X Facebook Reddit Sun May 31 2026, 07:32 AM EDT · 4 minute read Man in cuffs - Image Credit: Pixabay London iPhone theft victims have reported threats, AirTag catches a burglar in Pittsburgh, and California prisoners did not receive iPads, all in this week's Apple Crime Blotter. The latest in an occasional AppleInsider series, looking at the world of Apple-related crime. Chicago man arrested in $31,000 iPhone theft A 34-year-old temporary employee at a logistics facility in Illinois has been charged with stealing $31,000 worth of iPhones from the building. According to Fox 32 Chicago , the man was caught on security footage entering a trailer, and later concealing the approximately 40 stolen iPhones in a sweater. The man, who lives in Chicago, was charged with a felony count of theft. London iPhone theft victims report threats The city of London has, in recent years, suffered a massive wave of iPhone thefts, with 81,000 reported stolen in 2024 and 71,000 in 2025. The New York Times reported on May 23 that many of those victimized by such thefts have subsequently received threatening phone calls and text messages from the thieves. "I know who you are and where you live," was the message received by a Chicago resident whose iPhone was stolen in London. "I've killed or far less than a phone before." The threats, the newspaper said, have often been tied to the thieves' desire to have the victims unlink their IDs from the stolen devices. AirTag helps catch man accused of multiple crimes in Pittsburgh A man accused of both sexual assault and burglary has been caught after he stole an AirTag from the victim's home. According to CBS News Pittsburgh , the AirTag and $2 in cash were both taken from the victim's home. Police followed the ping to a nearby location where the man was arrested, while fingerprints left at the scene also pointed to that particular suspect. He c