Both imagined and real Watchmen are making an appearance at Apple’s retail stores, in one case to amuse, and in the other case to protect the stores from a series of window-smash burglaries. First, comic book artist Dave Gibbons will appear at southern California and New York Apple stores to promote the March 6th debut of the movie version of the 1980s-era graphic novels. Meanwhile, real “watchmen” have appeared inside some northern California retail stores after closing, stationed at the front of the all-glass storefronts to deter burglars who broke into the Palo Alto and Los Gatos stores on one December night to take merchandise.
After a series of window-smash burglaries, Apple is posting security guards overnight at the front windows of stores to deter future crimes.
E-mail this story
Related posts:
Loading ...
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Are we sure that’s what these security folks are there for? It may be, but Apple also routinely hires outside security whenever maintenance workers are in the stores overnight (i.e., reps from the various vendors that supply the different fixtures in the stores). If you haven’t verified they’re there to deter theft, I’d assume the simpler explanation above. I’d be curious to read a follow-up.
Apple also hires over night security guards for extended periods of time when they don’t feel like spending their record profits performing maintenance, such as repairing the locks on the door.