Sun Sep 15 12:29:16 UTC 2024: ## Apple Crime Blotter: AirTags, iPhones, and a Church Theft

**North Carolina:** A former cell phone store owner, Rami Mahmod Mhana, has been sentenced to 68 months in prison for selling thousands of stolen iPhones. Mhana was convicted of conspiracy, international transportation of stolen goods, and money laundering. He reportedly purchased stolen iPhones and other electronics and sold them in the UAE and Hong Kong.

**Pennsylvania:** A woman was charged with stealing her two children’s iPhones during a court-ordered visitation. The 43-year-old woman allegedly took an iPhone SE and iPhone 12 and refused to return them, citing a desire to communicate with the custodial parent.

**California:** A woman who had items stolen from her post office box used an innovative solution: she mailed herself a package with an AirTag attached. After the package was stolen, law enforcement tracked the AirTag and arrested two suspects, who are believed to have stolen from more than a dozen people.

**Connecticut:** A 26-year-old man was caught attempting to steal a newly delivered iPad from a homeowner’s porch. The homeowner confronted the thief, who ran away and left the package. The suspect was charged with attempted larceny.

**Nebraska:** A 44-year-old man was arrested for stealing an iPhone from a car parked outside a church. The phone’s owner tracked the phone and recognized the thief’s voice when he called her from the stolen device. He was found with a prescription drug and charged with theft, property damage, and drug possession.

**Massachusetts:** Two teenagers were arrested for breaking into a middle school and stealing a MacBook. The break-in triggered an alarm, and police found the suspects near the school. The MacBook was recovered from one of the suspect’s homes.

**Missouri:** An employee at a Six Flags hotel was arrested for stealing a guest’s AirPods. The guest received an alert that her AirPods were being used near the hotel, and police recovered the AirPods.

**India:** Three people, including a minor, were arrested for stealing a mobile phone, using its SIM card to transfer money, and then using that money to buy an iPhone. The suspects were caught after police examined CCTV footage.

This roundup highlights the varied ways Apple devices, from iPhones to AirTags, are being used both in crimes and to solve them. Police departments are utilizing new technology to combat thefts, while individuals are creatively using features like AirTags to track down stolen property.

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