The M5 iPad Pro that was shown off in a video by a Russian YouTuber might have been stolen, according to a new report.
In September, Russian YouTuber Wylsacom released a video showing off what appeared to be an at the time, unreleased M5-powered iPad Pro. The tablet was officially unveiled last week by Apple.
In the video, Wylsacom showed the device was fully operational, with packaging and a user interface appearing to be genuine. While the iPad Pro in the video had defaulted to Chinese upon startup, indicating they may have been stolen from shipments rerouted from Asian logistics hubs, the units were able to download and activate Russian apps, as well as connecting successfully to Apple services.
Now investigators believe that the M5 iPad Pro shown in the video were probably stolen from European depots that were stocked with the new iPad Pro models as Apple readied for last weeks unveiling. Investigators says “it’s likely that the iPads were stolen from there and then sold to these YouTubers.”
The packaging and serial numbers reportedly match M5 iPad Pro models destined for European markets. This isn’t the first time a leaked Apple device shown in a video turned out to be stolen, as similar leaks occurred last year involving M4-powered MacBook Pros.
Reports indicate that Apple pre-stocks its warehouses to provide a smooth rollout of new devices. If the thieves did access Apple’s pre-delivery stock, they were able to bypass several layers of Apple security, possibly indicating an inside job.
Apple is reportedly investigating its supply chain, as sources indicate that investigators believe the thefts happened before the products moved into retail channels, meaning Apple’s distribution system is at fault.
