Steve Jobs' burglar stole wallet, driver's license, special computers with house key
By Mike Rosenberg and Jason Green
mercurynews.com
Posted: 08/14/2012 12:06:56 PM PDT
August 14, 2012 10:35 PM GMTUpdated: 08/14/2012 03:35:25 PM PDT
He also took $60,000 worth of Tiffany necklaces, Cristal champagne -- and perhaps most shockingly of all -- Jobs' wallet and driver's license, according to a police report obtained Tuesday.
Ultimately, it was Jobs' company's own technology that allowed Apple and a special Silicon Valley task force to track down the
The Palo Alto home of Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs is pictured on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011 in this file photo. Police said a burglar stole $60,000 worth of computers and personal items on July 17. Jobs died in October 2011 after a long battle with cancer. ((Kirstina Sangsahachart/ Daily News))alleged burglar. When Kariem McFarlin, 35, used the stolen devices to connect to the Internet with his iTunes account following the July 17 heist, police swarmed his Alameda apartment and found many of the items he allegedly ransacked from the Palo Alto home. Then, he confessed, and wrote a letter of apology to Jobs' widow, police said.
"What an idiot," McFarlin's former boss, Ross Rankin, told this newspaper Tuesday, the morning after news first broke of the burglary at one of Silicon Valley's most famous residences. "There's certain things you don't do, and burglary is one of them, but burglarizing an icon like that, that just puts yourself pretty much in the deep hole."
A 36-page police report shows in unbelievable detail how McFarlin allegedly burglarized the Waverley Street home of Jobs sometime after 5 p.m. on July 17 and before 8 a.m. the next day. He was arrested on Aug. 2 and is in jail in lieu of $500,000 bail. .......[even after their demise, the 1%'ers have a lot of pull within the legal system.]
Hisattorney at the public defender's office did not return calls requesting comment. McFarlin told investigators he was down on his luck, even sleeping in cars, and was desperate.
The report says McFarlin pulled up to the curb and hopped a six-foot fence by climbing the scaffolding around the house after construction crews renovating the home had gone home for the day. He walked into the global icon's open garage workshop, found a key and walked through the house door, the report said.
"Kariem McFarlin explained he crept around the house because he was scared someone might be home," the report said. Eventually, he figured out he was alone -- then it dawned on him whose home he was in after seeing a letter addressed to Jobs.
McFarlin, who also told police he had burglarized San Francisco homes, is a former San Jose State football player who friends described as a high school nerd and "good guy."......[no, not a "good guy", dumb as a box of rockes -yes, good guy - no]
"The best we can tell is it was totally random," prosecutor Tom Flattery said for why he chose the Jobs home. The house, a mecca which tourists have been flocking to for years on Silicon Valley pilgrimages, was under construction for a renovation at the time and Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, was staying nearby. A spokesperson for Powell Jobs declined comment.
A manifest of items stolen at the Jobs residence gives a rare peek into the world of the notoriously reclusive entrepreneur who helped create one of most successful and secretive companies in history.
Also listed as stolen: an iMac and a Mac Mini specially installed for Jobs by an Apple engineer; three iPads including a white device and a iPad 2, three iPods, two iPhones, a small demo-sized Macbook and an Apple TV computer. McFarlin allegedly gave one of the iPads to his daughter and another one to a friend.
In Jobs' swiped black leather wallet were his California driver's license, an Apple corporate American Express card, a Titanium Black American Express card and a Bank of America Visa credit card. Jobs, one of the richest people in the world before he died on Oct. 5, had $1 in the wallet...............[i bet he had the first nickel he ever made in his tousers pocket, as well]
<snip>
World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_ ... ost_viewed
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Kenneth Kahn, who wears a curly rainbow wig when he performs at children's birthday parties as Kenny the Clown, said his friend gave him the iPad in exchange for money he owed Kahn for a vacation the pair planned to take to Hawaii.
"He owed me $300 for the plane tickets, so he said he had an Apple computer that he wasn't using anymore. I said fine, not having any clue what the hell was going on," Kahn told The Associated Press.
The professional entertainer, who has also made unsuccessful bids to become mayor of Alameda and San Francisco, said he never examined the contents of the device.
Instead, he downloaded Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal," and other songs for his clown routine, which includes magic shows and juggling torches on a unicycle.
Kahn, 47, said he played music on the iPad for a few days at the art and wine fair before police came for it. The device has been returned to the family of Jobs, who died last Oct. 5.
"The thing that is embarrassing to me is I'm a huge fan of Steve Jobs," Kahn said. "It's just bizarre."
Kariem McFarlin, 35, of Alameda was arrested on suspicion of breaking into the Palo Alto residence of the Apple co-founder. Kahn said he had no idea where the iPad came from until McFarlin was taken into custody on Aug. 2.
Apple investigators identified McFarlin after he used the stolen device to connect to his iTunes account on the Internet, police said. He acknowledged to police that he broke into Jobs' residence, as well as other homes, and wrote an apology letter to Jobs' widow, according to a police report.
McFarlin targeted the unoccupied Palo Alto home on July 17 because it was under renovation, authorities said. When construction crews left, he hopped a fence and found a spare key, according to the San Jose Mercury News.
The newspaper said the suspect apparently didn't realize he was in Jobs' house until he saw a letter addressed to the Silicon Valley icon.
During the 15-hour overnight heist, Jobs' wallet and driver's license were taken as well as iPhones, iPads, iPods, Mac computers, champagne and $60,000 worth of Tiffany & Co. jewelry, police said.
Kahn said he met McFarlin when he coached him on a high school basketball team in Alameda more than a decade ago.
"Kariem and I used to talk about ethics all the time, so I thought we were on the same page," Kahn said. "I guess he just got desperate, and made a terrible decision."
McFarlin remained jailed on $500,000 bail and was expected to appear in court Monday. If convicted, he could face almost eight years in prison. Kahn said he has not been questioned in the case. Law enforcement officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.
The Santa Clara County public defender's office, which is officially representing McFarlin, did not immediately provide comment Friday. McFarlin has recently hired a private attorney who wants to remain anonymous until Monday's hearing.
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Clow ... z23q8Y8rSJ
Last edited by dales on Sat Aug 18, 2012 1:47 am, edited 1 time in total.
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
It just doesn't seem fair....Kenneth Kahn, who wears a curly rainbow wig when he performs at children's birthday parties as Kenny the Clown...
The professional entertainer, who has also made unsuccessful bids to become mayor of Alameda and San Francisco, ....
That a professional clown should lose his bid to become Mayor of San Francisco, when so many amateurs have won....
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Wavy Gravy: RIP.
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
He's not dead dales?
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Well he hangs with the "Dead"...
Sometimes it seems as though one has to cross the line just to figger out where it is
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Sorry WavyGob wrote:He's not dead dales?
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
facisits!
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Just wait till Dave see that....facisits!
Actually, Ben and Jerry aren't fascists, they're commies...
But in fairness it seems to me that an ice cream with the word "gravy" in it probably was doomed from the start....
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
I meant to type "flatulence" but my keyboard can't read my impoverished mind. 
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
I certainly would not eat gravy from someone named wavy...
Sometimes it seems as though one has to cross the line just to figger out where it is
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
CCTV footage of a bungling robber who removed his balaclava and fell over while attempting to make his escape from a newsagents has been released.
Video on page
James Allan's failed raid on Martin's newsagent in Northcourt Road, Abingdon, Oxfordshire, took place on 2 March.
Ten days earlier, the 29-year-old, of no fixed address, had tried to rob the same shop.
Police released the video after he was given two years at Oxford Crown Court on Thursday for the first robbery.
The video shows Allan attempting to push the door to exit instead of pulling it.
He then tries to kick his way out, but stumbles and falls back over a container of drinks.
Eventually a woman, who had earlier been held up with a toy gun during the robbery, opens the door to let him out.
Allan is already serving three years in prison having been sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on 2 July for the offence shown in the video.
In July, he pleaded guilty to the possession of a firearm or imitation firearm, for which he was sentenced to two years.
All his sentences will run concurrently.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
and still they come...
A man who stole a garage's CCTV camera was recognised by police from the machine's final moments of recording.
Troy Hamilton's face filled the screen as he took the camera from the premises at Holywell, Flintshire, in November, Flintshire magistrates were told.
The 27-year-old was told to carry out 40 hours unpaid work and was sent on a "thinking skills" course.
Gary Harvey, defending, said: "It is probably the most ridiculous offence you will ever hear about."
The magistrates, sitting at Mold Crown Court, heard that police were able to track the offender from the device's recordings.
Wyn Jones, prosecuting, said film taken from the camera showed the defendant pulling up in his car, walk towards the camera, cut four wires and then force it off its holding bracket.
He said Hamilton stole the camera because he wanted to improve security at his home where where "presumably he thought it would not be stolen".
But Hamilton's was recognised immediately from his close-up by an officer called to the theft at Harry Tuffins garage.
Hamilton, who admitted theft, handed himself in to police when he learned they want to arrest him, the court was told.
Gary Harvey, defending, said his client was good with DIY and hoped to set up his own business repairing cars.
His client had thought the camera would help keep his vehicle secure, Mr Harvey said.
He said: "It's just one of those things. I think the less I say about it the better.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
WTH is a "Thinking Skills Course"?The 27-year-old was told to carry out 40 hours unpaid work and was sent on a "thinking skills" course.
40 hours community service?
LOL!
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
It teaches you how to be a better, and more thoughtful, thief.dales wrote: WTH is a "Thinking Skills Course"?
40 hours community service?
LOL!
Indeed, a joke.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
Yeah, that's pretty stupid...and still they come...
But I don't think it beats the guy who tattooed his crime on his chest....
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2508&p=32803&hilit= ... ime#p32803
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
There was a local robbery some time back that was solved when the police tracked the snagged cotton from the sewing machine to the house next door.
Bah!
Re: World's STUPIDEST Burglar?
A serial burglar was caught after breaking into a flat while he was wearing an electronic anti-crime tag that recorded his movements.
Richard Almaraoui, 33, stole a student's laptop in the raid, Norwich Crown Court heard yesterday before he was jailed. Robert Warner, prosecuting, said police managed to recover the mini-computer from the repeat offender's home. Mr Warner said police then had no trouble tracking down Almaraoui after his tag, which records all his movements, showed he had raided the victim's flat in Norwich. Almaraoui, of Dereham, Norfolk, admitted the burglary and asked for five similar offences to be considered.
He also breached a suspended jail sentence. Jailing him for five years, Judge Stephen Holt warned Alamaraoui that if he continued to offend his sentences would get longer.
Judge Holt added: 'You continually break in to people's homes, causing a large amount of distress and fear.' He accepted Almaraoui had a difficult background and drug problems, but said: 'The only person that can stop you taking drugs is you.' Michael Clare, defending, said he had stopped taking drugs while on remand and wanted to make a fresh start.
Electronic monitoring of offenders, which includes ankle tags and satellite technology, is provided by companies G4S and Serco.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”