A suspect smashed a car into an Apple store in Berkeley early Friday morning and made off with merchandise, police said.
Berkeley police responded around 2:52 a.m. to a report of an alarm from the Apple store at 1823 Fourth St. and discovered a car inside the store surrounded by glass debris.
Officers checked the vehicle and found it was empty, but noticed “signs of prowl” inside the business.
Officers conducted a search of the business but did not find any suspects. An investigation revealed that several Apple products were stolen, including several laptops and iPhone.
AppleInsider.com posted pictures of the aftermath of the crash, which showed that the car aimed at the store's front doors, damaging them and the metal security gate.
Based on the information officers have at this point, it appears the suspect deliberately drove the vehicle into the store in order to burglarize the business. The store remained closed today as workers tried to repair the damage. Apple store burglary in Berkeley. Photo courtesy Berkeleyside/Mickey Novello
Some Apple store employees could be seen helping customers with Genius Bar appointments on the sidewalk. A few customers described the burglary as "brazen."
"This is not the kind of crime we normally see for sure in Berkeley, in this part of Berkeley, it's definitely disappointing," said Berkeley resident Pam Gray.
Vehicular smash-and-grabs have been reported at other Apple stores around the world, including and the company'sTemecula, Calif., store.
Local
Surveillance video from the Temecula Apple Store shows a BMW smashing into the store's glass doors and plouging down display tables, a man in a mask grabbing as many devices as possible.
NBC Bay Area's Jodi Hernandez contributed to this report.
