Apple stores across US temporarily closed amid looting concerns

Some Apple Stores have already been targeted by looters and Apple has decided to not take chances and keep its stores shut

An Apple store with shattered glass is seen during a protest against the death in Minneapolis police custody of George Floyd, in Los Angeles, California, US, May 30, 2020. REUTERS/Patrick T. Fallon (REUTERS)

Apple has decided to temporarily close stores across the US to protect its employees from looters who are taking advantage of the ongoing protests. Some of these Apple Stores had only recently opened up after lockdown.

Some Apple Stores have already been targeted by looters and Apple has decided to not take chances and keep its stores shut. The company anticipates more attacks and attempts to loot as these protests rage on.

“With the health and safety of our teams in mind, we've made the decision to keep a number of our stores in the US closed on Sunday,” Apple wrote on its store pages.

Social media has been full of images and videos of people forcing their way into stores and looting them and these attacks have caused significant damage to stores across the country.

“The attacks cause considerable damage to the glass-fronted stores, with some like the Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis outlet being closed for an indefinite period for extensive repairs,” reports state.

According to reports, other stores that have been looted over Friday and Saturday night include Pioneer Place in Portland, Oregon; Scottsdale, Arizona; Philadelphia, and in Washington, D.C.

To deal with these attacks, many stores have packed away merchandise and have boarded up windows. Those who steal these demonstration devices will also find them to be of limited use since they are disabled and tracked once they are out of store range.

These closures, even though temporary, are a blow to Apple's attempts to reopen all retail outlets globally.