Masked Gunmen Target Berlin Apple Store And Steal iPhone 6 Money

A gang of masked, gun-wielding thieves targeted a security guard outside an Apple Store in Berlin, just one day after the iPhone 6 went on sale.

Bloomberg reports that customers were queuing outside the Apple Store for the iPhone 6 when they saw three masked gunmen threaten a security guard who was there to collect the day's takings. The gang took the cash that was being loaded into the security van, and made off with it in a dark Citroen.

The getaway car was discovered by police in a wooded area around two miles away from the Apple Store. The thieves had set it on fire to hide evidence of the heist.

It seems that the gang of thieves timed their raid to take place just after the launch of the new iPhone. Knowing that Apple fans had been queuing overnight for the iPhone 6, the store likely had a higher than usual amount of cash to be transferred to the security van. And as Bloomberg reports, German people love paying for things with cash. Just 15% of retail purchases are made with credit or debit cards in Germany.

This isn't the first time that the Kurfürstendamm Apple Store has been targeted by thieves. In Dec. 2013, a small car was driven into the store's front doors. Thieves raided the shop and stole iPhones, iPads and MacBook laptops before fleeing in two Audis.