Today is the day for the iPhone 5. Throughout the city, geeks, hipsters and people with nothing else to do will fill the streets in equal measure, all hoping to become early adopters of the latest iteration of Steve Jobs' greatest triumph of marketing.
With that in mind, the NYPD is taking a special interest in today's technological proceedings, launching Operation ID throughout the five boroughs.
The program, which was described in some detail at Wednesday night's 112 Precinct Community Council meeting, is intended to curb the theft of iPhones, a popular target among thieves in the city.
Police will be in monitoring lines at Apple Stores, Verizon outlets and AT&T retailers (though their reception there will be somewhat fuzzy. BOOM! Network humor).
“The theft of Apple phones and other hand-held devices drove the spike in robberies and larceny this year," Commissioner Ray Kelly said in a statement. "Individuals alert to their surroundings are less likely to become victims, and Operation ID will help those whose property is lost or stolen to get it back.”
Owners of the new phones can register their iDevices with NYPD officers, recording the serial number and having the item etched with an NYPD ID number that allows police to identify the phone if it's stolen.
Officers will also show new users how to operate the phone's "Find my iPhone" feature, which, through Apple's proprietary iCloud software, can GPS-locate a phone that's been recently snatched.
There have been numerous reports over the past year of police successfully arresting suspects after tracking GPS-activated phones mere minutes after being grifted.
Are you buying yourself the latest iPhone today? Let us know your plans in the comments.
