iPhone 5 Blogger Witnesses Apple Store Robbery While Camping in Front of Store

By Ray Downs, Christian Post Reporter Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Some people camp outside of Apple stores to be the first in line to get their hands on a new iPhone 5 – others, on the other hand, apparently just smash the stores windows, take what they want and run. That difference in impatience was on display in London as a "camper" played witness to a "smash and grab" robbery of an Apple store.

Rob Shoesmith, blogger of the iPhone 5 Experiment, who has been camping outside an Apple store in London for several days in anticipation of the iPhone 5 release (and blogging about it, of course, winning sponsorships along the way), saw a motorcycle gang smash the windows of the store and run off with $75,000 worth of Apple products.

Shoesmith blogged immediately after the robbery took place.

"Woke up to hear a load of motor bikes zoom in and then a smash and grab," he wrote. "Alarm going off and police have just got here! Really annoying as I was having an early sleep and was out for the count. Looks like a lot of Mac computers have been stolen with 4 motor bikes. Police are everywhere now!"

According to the Independent, seven masked robbers riding mopeds and motorcycles smashed the Apple store's windows and hauled off with the merchandise. Two suspects, ages 16 and 21, have been arrested and were being held in a North London police station. The search for the other culprits continues.

"Although two men are in custody on suspicion of burglary, the inquiry continues and other persons are sought," said a London police officer on the case.

As for Shoesmith, he is considering calling off his iPhone 5 camping expedition and settling for an iPhone 4S, but not out of fear of being caught in the middle of more "smash and grab" robberies.

"Not that long to go now and I simply cannot wait for Friday to come and get back home (with a shiny iPhone 4S)," he blogged. "I think I have a bit of a cold which doesn't help the tiredness."

Shoesmith's change in plans was also due to a trip to Dubai, courtesy of one of his blog's sponsors.