

More than 100 Apple Store customers are victims of follow-away burglaries  - ilamont
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/more-than-100-apple-store-customers-victims-of-followaway-burglaries-in-la-region.html

======
karzeem
I don't suppose this type of crime is common, but to the extent that it
happens, it's probably an inevitable consequence of people walking around the
mall with a bag that screams, "Hey, I'm carrying $1500 in unopened
electronics."

In any case, you're better off buying computers from Amazon just to avoid the
~$50-100 in sales tax.

~~~
andyking
Ever since I got followed down the street after buying a mobile phone a few
years ago, I've always taken one of those big reusable supermarket bags with
me to buy anything pricey. People are far less likely to look twice at you if
you've got a Tesco bag than an Apple or mobile shop bag.

~~~
ars
Maybe Apple (and other similar stores) should stop putting their name on bags.
Just use a plain one.

Or at least give people that option.

~~~
dagw
I remember hearing a year or so ago that Hermes (or some other similar luxury
brand) had started to offer plain white bags at their stores for customers who
didn't want to be seen buying high priced luxury items in the midst of a
rescission.

------
dreyfiz
Interesting story, disappointingly unreflective and myopic discussion here.

Buying a computer from Amazon is only cheaper because of US law unfairly
privileging internet retailers over bricks-and-mortar. The sales tax pays for
things in your community. You know, the physical location where you eat and
sleep?

Why exactly should someone well-off enough to afford a brand-new $2,000
MacBook Pro be able to escape paying sales tax just because they bought it on
the internet (and they even have the money to afford an existing computer and
internet connection in the first place), but the food that a struggling single
parent working near minimum wage needs to survive should be subject to sales
tax?

Further, the Apple Store isn't just a retail outlet, it's also a service
center. Do you think everyone who got robbed was buying a brand-new one? Maybe
they were picking up their repair.

------
mcantelon
It's fairly unsurprising that an expensive computer left in a parked car gets
ripped off in an urban center.

~~~
wendroid
It is when you left it in your trunk out of sight. My car doesn't get randomly
broken into, when was yours?

~~~
dagw
If you'd read the article you'd know that the cars aren't being randomly
broken into. They are being targeted by people who saw you place the expensive
computer in the trunk. So if it's out of sight or not is totally irrelevant in
this case.

~~~
tbrownaw
Um, I suspect that may have been the point.

------
josefresco
If only there were a way to purchase electronics using a 'machine' from the
comfort of your home and then utilize some sort of electronic banking
mechanism to pay for it and then a shipping company to transport it to your
door. That would solve this issue.

~~~
sili
Don't you think saying this is akin to saying a rape is the victim's fault
because she wore a short skirt?

~~~
aero142
No, but I do think it is akin to saying a rape is the victim's fault because
they went to a bar instead of using eHarmony from the comfort of home. So, i'd
say it is even more ridiculous that your analogy.

