Police Nab New York Identity Theft Gang Suspected of Targeting Apple Stores

Officers arrested three suspects at an Apple Store in Old Pasadena on suspicion of identity theft who may have been a part of an organized theft ring targeting Apple stores.

About 3:27 p.m. Monday, the men entered the Apple Store, 54 W. Colorado Blvd., and tried to make purchases using other people’s credit cards. All three suspects were subsequently detained, according to Pasadena police Lt. Mark Goodman.

“During the investigation, their vehicle was searched and around $55,000 worth of Apple (computer) products were recovered from the trunk of their vehicle,” Goodman said. “It’s believed that these three suspects are possibly a part of an organized theft ring targeting Apple stores.”

The suspects were identified as East Elmhurst, N.Y. resident Anthony Pichardo, 21; New York, N.Y. resident Julio Reyes, 25, and The Bronx, N.Y. resident Franklin Hilliciano, 26, he said.