NYPD detectives are investigating the theft of Apple electronics from several New York-area Target stores for a possible link to a major hack that compromised the credit and debit cards of 40 million of the retail giant’s customers.
The heists were discovered by chance in Flatbush Thursday when Officers Ray Higgins and John Hoder of the Brooklyn South Anti-crime Unit pulled over three men in a Dodge Caravan for blowing a red light, according to law-enforcement sources.
The driver Isiah Ramdaran, 21, of Brooklyn, popped his glove compartment to retrieve his insurance documents, allegedly revealing a loaded 32-caliber handgun.
A search of the vehicle turned up $20,000 worth of Apple goods in Target shopping bags inside the trunk. Receipts for the devices — 17 Apple iPad Airs, 11 iTouches and 14 iPad Minis — showed they had been purchased at area Targets, predominantly on Long Island, sources said.
The goods allegedly were bought with gift cards that had been purchased with stolen credit card.
The suspects were charged with possession of stolen property and a gun.
The NYPD Financial Crimes Unit is investigating whether the stolen cards have anything to do with the unauthorized access over the past 2¹/₂ weeks of data from Target customers’ credit and debit cards.