Why a police car did not stop an Apple Store theft in Emeryville

(KRON) — A video making the rounds on social media this week shows a man taking phones from an Apple Store in the East Bay before walking out of the store past a police car.

The Emeryville Police Department confirmed that the video happened at the Emeryville Apple Store, located at 5640 Bay St. A caption on the video incorrectly states the burglary happened in Oakland.

The video shows a man wearing black clothing and a ski mask ripping phones out of their display stations and stuffing them into his pockets as customers stand and watch. It totaled 2.1 million views on TikTok and 6.7 million views on X as of Wednesday night.

An EPD car was parked outside the store, and the thief was shown walking right past it. Police explained why the cop car seen in the video did not deter the thief.

“The police vehicle out front of the store is the department’s ‘ghost car’ which is parked at various locations to be a police presence, to try and prevent criminal activity. No EPD Officer was present was [sic] this crime occurred,” EPD said.

The theft happened at 10:27 a.m. on Monday. EPD said nobody was injured.

The Apple Store had been closed for the last few months of 2023 and reopened in January, the E’Ville Eye reported. The Berkeley Apple Store has also been a target for theft in 2024. In the first month of the year, 58 iPhones and 10 laptops were stolen from that location.

About the Author

Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.