As you’ve probably heard, the iPhone 5 launched today. Last night hundreds of iPhone 5 units have been stolen in multiple incidents across the world. While many Apple retail stores have tight security, carriers whose retail stores were left unattended during the night were the main target for the thieves.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a grand total of 191 units were stolen from three separate shops run by carrier partners KDDI and Softbank in the Osaka area in Japan. Police haven’t confirmed that the burglaries are connected and are still investigating security footage and other evidence.
In the United Kingdom, The Independent reports that over 250 iPhone 5 units were stolen from an O2 shop in London in what may have been an inside job. Officers want to speak to Usman Sethi, 23, of Audley Gardens, Ilford, east London, who works as an assistant at the store. The phones were taken at 1:30 am along with a quantity of cash that got stolen from the shop’s safe.