sfpd patchCNET reports that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) has launch an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the search for a prototype iPhone that went missing from a San Francisco bar in late July.

The case resulted in a significant amount of publicity after the SFPD initially reported that it had no record of any investigation into the disappearance or participation in a search of a house identified as where the lost iPhone had been tracked to. That claim led to suggestions that Apple's own security personnel may have posed as police officers, but the SFPD later acknowledged that it did participate in the search, accompanying Apple security officers to the house but not actively searching the premise themselves.

Police here have begun looking into what role officers played in a search by Apple for a missing unreleased iPhone.

Lt. Troy Dangerfield, of the San Francisco Police Department, told CNET today that an internal investigation has begun into determining how officers assisted two Apple security employees in their July search of a home in the Bernal Heights neighborhood for the handset.

The investigation is official confirmation that the SFPD is interested in learning the full story behind the search and whether there was any improper activity by either police officers or Apple's security team. The subject of the search has indicated that he was led to believe that all of those involved in the search were police officers, and would not have consented to the search had he known that the investigators conducting the search were private security personnel. The subject has also alleged that officers attempted to intimidate him by questioning the immigration status of those living in the house, threatening "trouble" despite his claims that all members of the household are in the United States legally.

Tag: CNET

Top Rated Comments

Celtic-moniker Avatar
178 months ago
There's three things i find interesting about what all you guys are writing.

Firstly, most of what I'm seeing here is utter rubbish. 'Apple employee posed as police'. What the? Talk about jumping to conclusions, and then pretending that they are facts.

Secondly. Where the hell is the phone? It's been a week... Do you honestly mean to tell me that all these PC magazines have been calling this guy, and the only thing he's had to say about the device, is to make some offhand remarks about the search of his house? Oh. Come. On! They guy has seen an iPhone prototype! Or, at the very least, an existing device that has prototype unreleased applications on it. So, why have we heard absolutely nil detail. And why isn't everyone surprised at this?

Third, there's a lot of people that seem determined to jump in and just call apple 'the bad guy'. I'm wondering if you have evidence of the entire company coercing or putting pressure on the SFPD to act 'legally illegally'. (sorry guys, the dude volunteered a search of his house, it's still legal). About the worst that could be said about this, is that no one told the guy that they were Apple employees. Yep. Lets hold Apple responsible for the police not upholding the law to all of your standards.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Gasu E. Avatar
178 months ago
Fixed.

Let's be accurate.

A lot of allegations, and none so far from a reliable source.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
178 months ago
Quite a serious alleged breach of ethics and abuse of power.

Fixed.

Let's be accurate.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
*LTD* Avatar
178 months ago


Wait, I thought the haters were just blowing this out of proportion? I think I need an Apple apologist (ie LTD) to explain this latest development to me.

There's nothing to explain. Nothing happened yet.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
416049 Avatar
178 months ago
There's nothing to explain. Nothing happened yet.
Exactly so I don't get what the hype is about, if apple would have been smart they would have done this a lot more undercover...
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Consultant Avatar
178 months ago
FACT:
The guy was at the bar the phone was "lost" (aka stolen).
The phone was traced to the guy's house.
The guy agreed to be searched.

Possibility:
Ie he stole it, he probably already got rid of it, after searching "how to sell iPhone prototype" and came upon the iPhone 4 prototype news.
Being a greedy bastard, he's now trying to get some money for it.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

AirPods Pro 3 Mock Feature

AirPods Pro 3 Just Months Away – Here's What We Know

Friday April 18, 2025 5:16 am PDT by
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
iphone 16 pro models 1

17 Reasons to Wait for the iPhone 17

Thursday April 17, 2025 4:12 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup. If you skipped the iPhone...
Beyond iPhone 13 Better Triad

Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone May Finally Go All Screen

Tuesday April 15, 2025 6:31 am PDT by
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself. Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
maxresdefault

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 12 New Features

Sunday April 13, 2025 7:52 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
CarPlay Hero

Apple Releases Wireless CarPlay Fix

Wednesday April 16, 2025 11:28 am PDT by
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed. Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles." If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
top stories 2025 04 19

Top Stories: iPhone 17 Pro Rumors, CarPlay Bug Fix, and More

Saturday April 19, 2025 6:00 am PDT by
This week saw rumor updates on the iPhone 17 Pro and next-generation Vision Pro, while a minor iOS 18.4.1 update delivered not just security fixes but also a fix for some CarPlay issues. We also looked ahead at what else is in Apple's pipeline for the rest of 2025 and even the 20th-anniversary iPhone coming in 2027, so read on below for all the details on these stories and more! iPhone 17 ...
iOS 18

iOS 18.5 Includes Only a Few Changes So Far

Monday April 21, 2025 11:00 am PDT by
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes. The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps. In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner. In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...