191 iPhone 5 units stolen in Japan before launch

This guy might have been the first to purchase an iPhone 5, but he clearly isn't the first to get his hands on one. Early morning on Friday, several outlets in Osaka, Japan, were broken into and had their iPhone 5 inventory stolen. It is estimated that the value of all missing smartphones totals over $100,000.

First to be reported to the authorities was a KDDI store, from which 33 iPhone 5 handset had gone missing. Local residents say three men hanging out nearby at about 3 in the morning, but they didn't seem to be there to wait in line. The next target was a Softbank outlet, which had its entire stock stolen, including one display unit. In a matter of minutes, a total of 116 iPhone 5 handsets were taken away by three robbers. Security camera footage shows that the robbery occurred at about 4:26AM. Furthermore, an additional 42 iPhone 5s were stolen from a store located nearby. 

All stores are located relatively close to each other, so one theory is that the same people were involved in all three robberies. The police, however, has yet to analyze all evidence and come up with an official report. As for the stolen iPhone 5 units, they will likely end up being re-sold on the black market for a hefty price, unless authorities manage to track them. 

source: Wall Street Journal