Thieves targeting Apple store customers in Manhattan Beach

There have been a series of vehicle burglaries since September 2009 all with similar
circumstances. Customers who have purchased Apple Computers from the Apple store in the
Manhattan Beach Village Mall (3200 N. Sepulveda Blvd, Manhattan Beach) have had their
vehicles burglarized and their computers stolen. In many of these crimes, customers have
purchased a computer, put it in their vehicle and then driven to another location leaving their
computer inside the vehicle.

When they return to their vehicle, the victims find that their cars have been burglarized and their computers have been stolen. It is believed that a group of
suspects are monitoring customers as they purchase their computers from the Apple Store
and then following them to their vehicles.

The suspects then follow the victims to anotherr location at which time they commit the burglary when the vehicle is left unattended with the
computers inside. These follow-away vehicle burglaries have occurred in the parking lots of
various retail establishments as well as on the streets of the victims' homes, sometimes at a
considerable distance away from the Apple Store.

The Manhattan Beach Police Department is aggressively investigating this crime series.
Please be vigilant when making a purchase such as this and do not leave expensive goods
unattended in your vehicles even if it is locked. Any suspicious circumstances should be
reported to your local police department immediately.