Burglar steals $60,000 worth of computers and personal items from Steve Jobs’ home

Late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs’ Palo Alto home was burglarized last month, according to a newspaper report today. The police included the crime in its weekend report log released to the media. A suspect was apprehended with $60,000 worth of stolen items, including computers and personal items.

Steve’s widow Laurene Powell Jobs and her children were probably not in the house when the crime took place as the Palo Alto house was surrounded with scaffolding last month amid major renovations.

A thief apparently was unaware of the famous home owners. The police wouldn’t release more details because charges had already been filed…

Jason Green, writing for The San Jose Mercury News:

The deceased Apple co-founder’s home on Waverley Street in Palo Alto was burglarized July 17, said Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Tom Flattery, a member of the high-technology crimes unit.

This was allegedly a random crime rather than a targeted burglary:

More than $60,000 worth of “computers and personal items” were allegedly stolen, but Flattery declined to say whether they belonged to Jobs, who died last year at the age of 56, or another family member.

Steve Jobs died in his Palo Alto home on October 5 of last year of respiratory arrest attributed to his years-long battle with cancer.

The suspect in custody has been identified as 35-year-old Kariem McFarlin. He was arraigned five days later on one count of residential burglary and selling stolen property.

He remains in county jail on $500,000 bail and could face a maximum prison sentence of seven years and eight months, including a one-year enhancement for “excessive taking of property”, according to District Attorney Tom Flattery.

Though the crime seem to be a random one, it’s interesting that the bulk of the stolen items is electronics and computers.

It’s entirely possible that McFarlin broke into the Jobs family’s home totally oblivious to who its residents were and just picked up whatever items he deemed valuable.

Contrary to his charismatic, mercurial public persona, Jobs lived a quiet and private life in his Palo Alto home. He wasn’t known for relying on security guards and cameras to protect his and his family’s privacy, like rich people mostly do.

What do you guys make of this?

Was this a random crime?