High-Tech Heist in Lakewood: $4 Million in Apple Products Stolen in Sophisticated Warehouse Burglary

By: Fern Sidman

In what authorities are describing as one of the most methodically executed burglaries in recent local memory, a group of highly organized thieves broke into a Lakewood, New Jersey electronics warehouse during Shabbos, making off with an estimated $4 million in high-value merchandise. The theft, which unfolded like a cinematic caper, targeted CloseoutNJ, a wholesale electronics distributor owned by Yaakov Jacobs, and has left the company on the brink of collapse.

According to detailed report on the VIN News website on Monday, the criminals carried out the heist with military-level precision. They cut a hole in the roof of the warehouse, rappelled into the facility using a ladder, and used cellphone signal jammers to disrupt communication lines and evade detection. Once inside, the perpetrators disabled the security infrastructure, destroyed surveillance equipment, and systematically looted shelves stocked with premium electronics—primarily Apple products.

For CloseoutNJ, the timing of the robbery could not have been more strategic—or devastating. The burglary occurred over Shabbos, the Jewish Sabbath, a time when observant Jews refrain from work and electronic use. CEO Yaakov Jacobs and most of his staff were not present, which the criminals likely exploited.

“We might have to shut down, you know? That’s where we are at because of this,” Jacobs told reporters, visibly shaken. “We are looking at probably about $4 million of our costs in that neighborhood,” he said, according to the VIN News report. He emphasized that the loss is not just financial but existential for the business.

Jacobs described how the thieves bypassed every layer of the warehouse’s defense. After gaining entry through the roof, they smashed security monitors, cut through key wiring, and even destroyed hard drives—a move likely intended to erase any digital record of the heist or footage of the perpetrators. Their methodical targeting of the facility suggests the culprits had inside knowledge or prior experience with the layout and systems.

As the VIN News report indicated, the thieves made off with a tightly focused inventory of high-end electronics. Among the stolen items were Apple Watches, iPads, MacBooks, displays and monitors, Mac Minis and other branded laptops and accessories.

This specific targeting of high-demand, compact electronics aligns with known tactics of organized retail crime rings, which aim to resell items on the gray market or overseas, often within hours of a robbery.

In a chilling twist, authorities believe this isn’t the first time the warehouse has been targeted. As the VIN News report noted, a previous burglary at the same location had resulted in the arrest of several suspects, but they were later released. Investigators are now probing whether the most recent break-in is connected to that earlier case—and if the same individuals or network may be involved.

This latest incident appears to be more sophisticated and destructive, suggesting the involvement of a more experienced crew or a possible escalation in tactics.

Lakewood’s tight-knit business community, especially within its large Orthodox Jewish population, has been rattled by the scale and audacity of the heist. Beyond the financial loss, the incident has underscored growing concerns about organized crime targeting religious communities during times of vulnerability, such as Shabbos or Jewish holidays.

VIN News reported that local leaders are calling for increased security infrastructure and better coordination between businesses and law enforcement. Some have suggested the creation of a private surveillance network that could provide redundancy in case of future system failures or deliberate sabotage, like in this case.

Law enforcement officials have not yet identified any suspects in the most recent burglary but confirmed to VIN News that they are reviewing all leads and appealing to the public for help. Investigators are also looking into the possibility that the crew used a getaway vehicle or had accomplices outside the building managing communications and logistics.

“We are urging anyone who may have seen suspicious activity near the warehouse on Shabbos to come forward,” police said in a statement cited by VIN News.

The precision of the break-in has led some to speculate that it may have involved individuals with military or technical training, given their use of signal jammers, advanced entry techniques, and targeted sabotage of digital evidence.

For CEO Yaakov Jacobs, the emotional toll is just as heavy as the financial one. A business he built with hard work and dedication now hangs in the balance.

“Four million dollars. That’s not just numbers on a spreadsheet,” Jacobs told VIN News. “That’s everything we’ve invested—our inventory, our lifeline. We don’t know how we’ll recover.”

The coming weeks will be critical not only for the future of CloseoutNJ but for Lakewood’s sense of safety and justice. With the investigation ongoing, and the suspects still at large, the heist serves as a stark reminder that even the most secure environments are vulnerable to those with the right tools, the right knowledge—and the wrong intentions.