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<em>Image credit: Youtube</em><br />
<br /> Noida, once an infamous area for snatching and burgling is getting tamed now. With tonnes of housing complexes, metros and malls coming up, most areas in this part of Delhi <keyword id="53426" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="NCR">NCR</keyword> are doing great without much disturbance. Corporate offices shifting their bases in Noida and <keyword id="6356788" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Greater-Noida">Greater Noida</keyword> are one of the most important reasons for this.<br />
<br /> As the election in <keyword id="6357713" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Uttar-Pradesh">Uttar Pradesh</keyword> is approaching, there is a new breed of thieves these days. No it’s not normal thieves who steal cars or snatches earring. These thieves steal pizzas.<br />
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Shocking right? Here’s how they operate.<br />
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Beware! Delhi NCR now has thieves who steal pizzas

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Mansi Thapliyal</span></p></div><p></p></div></div>A hacker group called Rex Mundi blackmailed the French and Belgian operations of Domino's Pizza for €30,000 (around $40,600 USD), threatening to release stolen account information of over 600,000 Domino's customers, <a href="http://www.itnews.com.au/News/388195,dominos-pizza-blackmailed-over-mass-customer-data-leak.aspx">reports ITNews</a>.</p>
<p>The hackers wrote <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdpaste.de%2FbXb9&amp;oq=cache%3Ahttps%3A%2F%2Fdpaste.de%2FbXb9&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j69i58.1592j0j4&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;es_sm=122&amp;ie=UTF-8">on a web clipboard service</a> that each record contained a customer's name, address, telephone number, email address, and password. The group claimed to have 592,000 such records for French customers and 68,000 for Belgian customers.</p>
<p><a href="https://twitter.com/dominos_pizzafr">The Domino's France Twitter account</a> confirmed the breach and referred to the hackers as "seasoned professionals," adding that "it is likely that they are able to decode the encrypted information, including passwords."</p>
<p>Though the Rex Mundi Twitter account <a href="https://twitter.com/RexMundi_Anon">is now suspended</a>, it formerly stated that Domino's customer data is quite vulnerable to thieves, as it is stored in a relatively unsecured format.</p>
<p>A Domino's spokesperson said that the affected data in question only involved names, email addresses, and phone numbers, and emphasized that no banking or financial information was accessed, as the company doesn't retain it.</p>
<p>Instead of paying up, Domino's <a href="http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20140613_01139638">took the breach to the French authorities</a>, making this attempted blackmail on the company the latest in a series of Rex Mundi's failed attempts to turn a dime from its hacking skills. According to The Register, the group published "thousands of customer loan records after it <a href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/06/22/payday_loan_data_breach/" target="_blank">attempted to extract $15,000 from</a> payday loan provider Americash Advance" and failed to get paid for stealing and "<a href="http://news.softpedia.com/news/Hackers-Publish-Names-of-12-000-Customers-of-Belgian-Hosting-Firm-AlfaNet-439566.shtml" target="_blank">subsequently publishing</a> 12,000 names of Belgian hosting firm Alfanet."</p>

Hackers Blackmail Domino's Pizza

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Glasses and silverware go missing all the time at restaurants — often at the hands of customers.</li><li>Now, TikTokers are posting videos of themselves appearing to steal coveted items from eateries.</li></ul><p>Sticky-fingered diners have a long history of swiping irresistible, and often collectible, tableware from restaurants but a TikTok trend is bringing the petty crimes to light.</p><p>"You're coming home with me," TikTok creator and YouTuber Chris Klemens can be heard saying <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@chrisklemens/video/6975018806494104838" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a 2021 video</a> where he reaches his hand out to grab a tiny three-tine fork, known as a 'threek,' in what appears to be a busy restaurant. Klemens did not respond to Insider's request for comment.</p><p>"I am home and the fork is secured," the caption reads. </p> <p>The audio quickly became popular. There are around 150,000 videos online that use Klemen's original audio, many of which show restaurant patrons swiping <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@haleydito/video/7009469698093960453?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7226563250782340650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cute cocktail glasses,</a> a <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@klaperoniandcheese/video/7006474239347805445?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7226563250782340650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fancy pizza server,</a> or <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@kepalikepeppa/video/7021648475012058373?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7226563250782340650" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unique utensils </a>from restaurants while lip-syncing "You're coming home with me."</p><p>There's no way to tell whether the posters are in fact stealing these items or just kidding (in some videos, in fact, posters <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bellarozez/video/7042486276003581189" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clarify</a> that they did not steal the items). </p><p>Restaurant owners told Insider that customers who deploy the five-finger discount have been around for as long as they can remember but TikTok has given people an opportunity to share their exploits. </p><p>"'I'm sure this TikTok trend will inspire more cutlery kleptos and glassware thieves," Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, told Insider. </p><p>"People think it's funny or cute, but for the most part these are small business owners struggling to recover from the pandemic," he said, adding that missing glassware and decor is unfortunately a common — and fairly accepted — part of running a business. </p><p>When Disneyland's Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge attraction opened in 2019, theme park visitors stole futuristic looking sporks from one of the themed restaurants. Many of them were found online, selling for as much as $80, <a href="https://www.ocregister.com/2020/01/27/stolen-star-wars-sporks-return-to-disneyland-and-you-can-get-one-for-a-price/#:~:text=The%20space%20sporks%20that%20scoundrels,the%20Star%20Wars%2Dthemed%20restaurant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to the Orange County Register.</a> Eater has a story entitled <a href="https://dc.eater.com/2023/6/15/23758712/customers-stealing-dc-restaurants-barware" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Why Are Customers Stealing So Much Shit From D.C. Restaurants?"</a> An article from <a href="https://www.foodandwine.com/do-not-steal-from-restaurants-6825513" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Food &amp; Wine</a> calls restaurant customers "a notoriously thieving bunch." </p><div type="image" title="Glasses branded with the Chapman Crafted Beer &amp; Coffee logo" height="720" width="960" msid="101238633" hostid="261" sizebytes="25644"></div><p>Wil Dee, a 26-year restaurant veteran in Southern California, said for as long as he can remember, diners have been swiping everything from copper Moscow mule mugs to steak knives from his bars and restaurants. </p><p>"It's the nature of the business," said Dee, founder and CEO of Haven Craft Kitchen + Bar and founding partner of Chapman Crafted Beer &amp; Coffee in Orange, California.</p><p>And it comes at a cost. Dee estimates that his restaurants lose about $10,000 annually from customers who can't resist smuggling tulip-shaped beer glasses, charcuterie boards, plates, and cutlery. A nice plate can cost $50, he said. </p><p>One time he caught a diner in the act, and told them: "Would you mind leaving that mug in your purse on the table when you leave?"</p><div type="image" title="Loulou Petit Bistro is a French bistro located in the Chelsea neighborhood in Manhattan." height="1269" width="1284" msid="101238635" hostid="261" sizebytes="328172"></div><p>Dee hadn't seen the viral TikTok video. He said these trending videos pose a challenge for restaurants because they are promoting a crime. "This is what's wrong with social media."</p><p>Mathias Van Leyden, owner of Loulou Petit Bistro, which opened in Manhattan in 2019, told Insider he's had to train servers to take certain cocktail glasses back to the kitchen as soon as they're empty because otherwise they disappear. </p><p>"People just take stuff. It's sad because we have to always get new stuff and it makes the place not as nice for the next people who visit us. And it's just kind of annoying that we have to replace stuff all the time," he said.</p><p>Diners at his restaurant are paying the price for these bad players. Van Leyden said that he's resorted to charging $1 to $2 more per drink to offset the high cost of losing so many glasses so often. In fact, he keeps a stash of the most popular glasses close by so they're never caught in a pinch. </p> <p>"I actually have to stock them in my apartment," he told Insider. "When they're low, I bring them straight from my apartment to the restaurant, which is a block away." </p><p>Some restaurant owners are trying to look at the bright side. </p><div type="image" title="Mission Group's Royal Sands cocktail glass" height="682" width="1024" msid="101238638" hostid="261" sizebytes="32512"></div><p>Fritz Brogan, managing partner of a Washington, DC-based hospitality company called Mission Group, told Insider he thinks of people taking glassware from Mission's bars as a form of marketing. In fact, he calls it "five-finger marketing."</p><p>"I'm an optimist, so I always try to find the positive in everything," Brogan said. "I think we look at every problem as sort of, how do we turn this into a solution and how do we drive revenue and business out of this?"</p><p>He said that as a result, his newest bar, Royal Sands Social Club, designed its glassware knowing that it might end up in people's home bars or cabinets. Occasionally, he said, he's even seen people post videos of house parties where, in the background, he can see partiers drinking out of one of his bar's glasses. </p>

A TikTok craze has people stealing dishes and glasses from restaurants, and it's revealing a long history of sticky-fingered diners

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A thief stole a man's iPhone in a Manhattan bar by replacing it with a fake.</li><li>He thought the battery had died, and only realized it wasn't his phone when he tried to charge it.</li></ul><p>Trent was out with friends one night in Manhattan in February 2021 when he realized that an audacious thief had swapped out his iPhone with a fake. </p><p>Trent, who requested to only go by his first name but whose identity is known to Insider, went out with friends for dinner and drinks. At one point, the 28-year-old checked his phone on the table and assumed the battery had died because it wouldn't turn on.</p><p>On his way home, he stopped for pizza and asked the shop's staff if he could charge his device there. "That's when I noticed it wasn't my phone," Trent told Insider.</p><p>"I originally thought the pizza spot swapped my phone out, but according to the police, they were pretty familiar with the spot," Trent said, adding that the police told him the owners "wouldn't do something like that."</p><p>Trent filed a police report, seen by Insider, thinking it was a simple theft. "It was much worse. They had my passcode to get into my phone, which then gave them access to my password manager, and then access to all my credit cards and banking info," he said.</p><div type="image" title="Trent suspects the thief watched him until they could copy his passcode before replacing his iPhone with a fake so quickly that he didn't notice." height="702" width="936" msid="98771910" hostid="261"></div><p>Trent told Insider that he suspects the thief got into his iPhone by observing him until seeing him enter his passcode. He suspects the thief then somehow took his iPhone XS out of its case without Trent noticing and replaced it with a fake. </p><p>He suspected that when his phone, which he had placed on the table, wasn't within eyesight, the thief grabbed and swapped it within seconds. </p><p>He wasn't able to access his Apple account after realizing what had happened. "They changed my passwords — I couldn't access anything anymore," Trent said. "They opened a credit card in my name, bought an iPad, drained my Venmo."</p><p>The thief repeatedly tried to purchase iPads from Target stores in New York City.</p><p>Bank statements Insider reviewed showed a charge of $1,633 for an iPad and $229.68 taken from Trent's Venmo account. Another charge showed the thief attempted to withdraw another $980. </p><p>Trent contacted Apple, hoping the company would help him change his password. The tech giant told him he had to wait until a day had passed since the thief requested a password reset, telling him the automated system only allowed one request every 24 hours. If Trent couldn't change it the next day, Apple said he would have to wait another 27 days.</p><p>Despite being able to prove his identity to speed up the process, Trent said that Apple told him he "could be anyone" and therefore wouldn't take any action. "It was incredibly frustrating, especially because the thieves had access to everything and I could see them opening up my messages before I even could," he told Insider.</p><p>Almost two weeks after the theft, Trent finally regained access to his Apple account, but then realized that he needed to change all of his documents — including his passport and driver's license — because the thief now had copies.</p><p>Earlier this year Insider, reported on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-not-helpful-woman-locked-out-apple-account-lost-10k-2023-2">Reyhan Ayas</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-not-helpful-woman-locked-out-apple-account-lost-10k-2023-2">whose iPhone</a> was stolen in November and who also found Apple unhelpful in regaining access to her account. By the time her ordeal was over, whoever had stolen her phone had managed to take $10,000 out of her bank account. </p><p>Apple didn't respond to a request for comment by Insider. </p><p><strong><em>Have you been the victim of theft or have insight to share? Contact this reporter at </em>stabahriti@insider.com<em> or on Twitter at </em><a href="https://twitter.com/samtabahriti" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@samtabahriti</a></strong></p>

Man says Apple was 'incredibly unhelpful' when he tried to regain access to his account after his iPhone was stolen and replaced with a fake

Musicians today, prisoners yesterday, their band is quite fittingly called <keyword id="1925883" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="naya-savera" source="Orion">Naya Savera</keyword>, and it truly is a new morning for Sunil Maida, Ashish Sharma and Shoib Khan as they leave behind the past and drum up melodic dreams for the future. And just like different sounds blend into a tune, Maida from Rajasthan, Sharma from Uttar Pradesh and Khan from Madhya Pradesh, all in their 20s, together make music, performing at various venues across the country, including the <keyword id="3245091" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="World-Music-Festival" source="Orion">World Music Festival</keyword> in Udaipur and many prisons. <br /><br />It all began when they swapped stories at the <keyword id="624849" type="General" weightage="70" keywordseo="Udaipur-central-jail" source="Orion">Udaipur Central Jail</keyword> where all three were serving time - Maida and Khan for theft, and Sharma for cheating and assault. <br /><br />Once part of a gang of thieves and goons in Chittorgarh, Khan said he would often think of ways to become a bigger "gangster" behind bars. But after he started learning the guitar, his outlook towards life changed so much that he stayed back in the prison for an extra year even though he was offered bail to improve his music skills. <br /><br />"This life and that life are starkly different from each other. Now I feel my music is the only best thing for me and that I can do really great things in this direction. The way people look at me now has changed, I feel respected," the 21-year-old guitarist told PTI. <br /><br />Khan's life could have steered in an entirely opposite direction if it weren't for music, he said. The youngest in the trio, 21-year-old Khan learned to play the guitar and improved upon his vocals inside the prison. <br /><br />Recounting the turmoil of his life so far, Khan said he was arrested for petty crimes and tortured by the police. "This led me to think... why not do something big if I am going to get beaten up anyway. This emotion only got stronger with time...." <br /><br />In 2021, it changed when Naya Savera was formed, giving him and his two partners new meaning in life. Today, the troika proudly belts out popular Hindi songs as professional artistes in their evocatively named band, giving shape to their new beginnings away from a world of crime. <br /><br />Maida, too, wanted to something "big" in the crime scene under the tutelage of more hardened and wizened criminals in the prison. He would spend hours with fellow inmates planning their big operation after getting out. <br /><br />And then one day, when he was sitting inside his cell, his reverie was broken by the sweet sound of music. A curious Maida discovered to his surprise a group of fellow inmates learning different types of musical instruments at <keyword id="4081473" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="Swaraj-University" source="Orion">Swaraj University</keyword> inside the jail, an initiative by Udaipur-based NGO Shikshantar. <br /><br />"The sound of music would relax me and I thought to myself I should go where they are playing this music. I spent two days just listening to the music and looking at everyone. Then I decided I wanted to learn tabla," Maida told PTI. <br /><br />Over the next nine months, Maida, who belongs to Pratapgarh in Rajasthan, learned the tabla under a fellow inmate before graduating to other percussion instruments such as clapbox and cajon. It turned out to be an association that was going to change his life. <br /><br />After finishing his sentence in 2021, his musical journey continued in the company of former fellow inmates Sharma and Khan. <br /><br />"It is because of this band that we got a new life. People who looked at us disapprovingly now feel that we are doing fine. Now I only want to do something big in music, it is my only goal," the 24-year-old percussionist said. <br /><br />Maida also works as a chef at a cafe in Udaipur, and specialises in pizzas and pastas. <br /><br />The third member of the trio, Sharma, is an MBA by education. He landed in jail for the first time in 2017 on charges of cheating under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code. After being released in 2018, he was again arrested on charges of armed assault. <br /><br />His second stint in jail was a turning point in his life. <br /><br />He diverted his attention to reading and memorising Bhagavad Gita by heart, and went on to explore videography, photography, filmmaking and learning to play the piano. <br /><br />"As I started understanding Gita, it calmed me. I stopped getting angry, otherwise earlier I would reach for my revolver at the drop of a hat. Then I made Gita an inspiration behind my music, I also turned it into rap to be more relatable to the youth," the 28-year-old said. <br /><br />Since coming out of prison in 2022, Sharma has expanded his horizon by becoming a professional documentary filmmaker and a musician. He also teaches photography to girl students in Udaipur. <br /><br />The trio was in the national capital recently to perform at the Rural Renaissance Concert organised by Village Square, a storytelling initiative by NGO Transform Rural India (TRI). <br /><br />The musicians, all acquitted now, teach children and other inmates of Udaipur jail for the NGO Shikshantar. They are based in Udaipur but make sure to keep in touch with their families <br /><br />"Naya Savera, with its thought-provoking concept, offered a unique perspective on the lives of prisoners in rural areas. Through this concert we wanted to provide a platform to these talented artists to truly showcase the transformative power of art, and how creativity and expression can transcend boundaries and reshape lives," said Sanjana Kaushik, manager at Village Square. <br /><br />The story of Naya Savera goes beyond that of redemption and transformation of a group of young men, the philosophy extends to spreading the message to more such disillusioned youth in prisoners across the country. <br /><br />"Our message to them is simple that your life hasn't ended because you are in jail, there is so much more to it if you try. Today we are not ashamed to say that we went to jail. Anyone can go to jail, anyone can commit a mistake. But we have served our sentence for the mistakes we made then why would anyone punish us again," said Sharma.

Prison reform: Meet Naya Savera, a band of former convicts belting out tunes of change

<p class="enhanced-subtitle">How a viral video sparked the theft of hundreds of thousands of cars</p><p class="drop-cap">Bria Jenkins was enjoying an evening at home last November, watching television with her kids and waiting for a Domino's delivery. But when she opened the door to grab the pizza from the delivery driver, she got a serious shock: There was broken glass strewn on the ground and her 2013 Kia Optima was gone — stolen from right in front of her house. </p><p>"I started freaking out. I was like, 'Am I dreaming?'" she told me.</p><p>Patti Lebeau-Chorn experienced a similar nightmare one morning last August. She had parked her 2015 Kia Sorrento, which her late parents had helped her buy, across the street at a golf-course parking lot while volunteering at her temple in Los Angeles. But when she went to drive home, she couldn't find it anywhere. </p><p>Lebeau-Chorn and Jenkins are just two victims of an unprecedented surge in car thefts that has swept across US cities in the past two years. In Milwaukee, car thefts <a href="https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/milwaukee-common-council-mulls-solutions-to-kia-hyundai-thefts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have doubled</a> since 2020. In St. Louis, they <a href="https://jasher.substack.com/p/how-tiktok-caused-a-surge-in-auto?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=1234332&amp;post_id=98187589&amp;isFreemail=true&amp;utm_medium=email" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spiked</a> 157% from the second half of 2021 to the second half of 2022. Other major metro areas across the country — <a href="https://gothamist.com/news/nyc-auto-thefts-reach-16-year-high-mirroring-nationwide-trend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a>, <a href="https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-police-announce-crackdown-on-car-thefts-as-stolen-vehicle-numbers-climb/3053812/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a>, and <a href="https://xtown.la/2023/01/30/los-angeles-car-thefts-increase-in-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles</a> — have seen similar increases.</p><p>The cause of this wild car-theft spree? A viral TikTok. The <a href="https://www.insider.com/tiktok-kia-challenge-using-usb-cables-to-steal-cars-2022-7">"Kia Challenge" video</a>, which first appeared in 2021 and regained popularity in July 2022, showed how to easily hijack certain models of Kia and Hyundai vehicles using only a USB cord. While the video was quickly taken down by TikTok each time it resurfaced, the damage was done: 70% of the cars stolen in Milwaukee last year and 50% of the cars stolen in Chicago this year were from the two South Korean manufacturers.</p><p>The situation has become so critical that two major auto-insurance companies, State Farm and Progressive, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/state-farm-progressive-insurance-policies-kia-hyundai-car-thefts-2023-1">have stopped insuring</a> vulnerable Kia and Hyundai models. And dozens of class-action lawsuits filed around the country are attempting to force the manufacturers to either issue a recall or fix the cars' vulnerability. The trend has become not just a financial burden for consumers and a legal nightmare for Kia and Hyundai, but has spotlighted what happens when a business cuts corners: It's often the people least responsible who bear the burden. </p><h2><strong>Safety shortcuts</strong></h2><p>The TikTok video that sparked the challenge — a how-to <a href="https://www.dexerto.com/entertainment/tiktok-kia-challenge-users-warned-not-try-trend-1885947/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> created by user @robbierayyy — exposed a security flaw in Kia models from 2011 to 2021 and Hyundai models from 2015 to 2021. The cars from that time don't have electronic immobilizers, a safety device that uses a unique chip in the key fob. Cars with this tech won't start unless they recognize the correct key, making them far more difficult to hot-wire. Without that system, anyone could unscrew the steering column in the older Kias and Hyundais and insert a USB into the ignition before driving away. </p><p>The simplicity of this "hack" led to a huge surge in thefts of the cars. While there's no federal database of thefts by specific model, the numbers in large cities are staggering. In <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/seattle-sues-kia-and-hyundai-after-rise-in-car-thefts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seattle</a>, thefts of Kias and Hyundais increased by 363% and 503%, respectively, between 2021 and 2022. In <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/kia-hyundais-stolen-chicago/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chicago</a>, 1,000 Kias were stolen in October alone. And in Portland, Oregon, the number of stolen Kias <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/portlandpolicebureau/viz/MonthlyStolenVehicleStatistics/Dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> by 916% from January 2022 to January 2023, while Hyundai thefts jumped by 768%. Both the <a href="https://spdblotter.seattle.gov/2022/08/15/warning-to-kia-drivers-recent-spike-in-thefts-may-be-tied-to-tiktok-videos/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seattle</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/LAPDHQ/status/1562953014838640640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1562953014838640640%7Ctwgr%5Ed9516719e9bcec7bbfb1ce1e5716632a731f9275%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fqz.com%2Fembed%2Finset%2Fiframe%3Fid%3Dtwitter-1562953014838640640autosize%3D1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Los Angeles</a> police departments put out notices tying the trend to the TikTok challenge. </p><p>In response to the crime wave, Kia <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/hyundais-kias-are-easy-targets-amid-boom-in-vehicle-thefts#:~:text=Immobilizers%20are%20standard%20on%20all,or%20as%20a%20running%20change." target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a> immobilizers to their 2022 models, and Hyundai has added them to cars built since November 2021. So far there's been no recall on the already-compromised models, though Kia and Hyundai both noted in statements to Insider that they are providing steering-wheel locks to affected car owners through some police departments — in Kia's case, 23,000 locks to over 120 departments nationwide. </p><p>But many people have questioned why the companies didn't have such a standard feature in their cars in the first place. In <a href="https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/hyundais-kias-are-easy-targets-amid-boom-in-vehicle-thefts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2015</a>, 96% of vehicles from other manufacturers had immobilizers, but only 26% of Kia and Hyundai cars did, according to a Highway Loss Data Institute report. While the US does not mandate the tech, electronic immobilizers have been common since the late 1990s, when the European Union <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256044677_The_Engine_Immobilizer_A_Non-Starter_for_Car_Thieves" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mandated</a> them for all new cars sold there. Neither Kia or Hyundai have explained why their vehicles didn't have this safety feature.</p><p>Ann Davison, the Seattle city attorney, acknowledged TikTok's role in the theft spree but placed the underlying blame on the car companies themselves. "What really has happened is that Kia and Hyundai chose to cut corners in cost in their least-expensive models in a period of years," she told me. Davison is one of the lawyers who has filed a class-action suit against the manufacturers (one lawyer estimated several dozen such lawsuits existed across the country). The suits were recently consolidated into one case in California, the home of the two manufacturers' American headquarters. </p><p>Jonathan Michaels, a lawyer at MLG Attorneys at Law in California, who is representing Lebeau-Chorn, said his firm had been watching the situation unfold since the Kia Challenge took off in the middle of last year. "We thought that Kia and Hyundai might take some type of corrective action to prevent further harm," he said, either by issuing a recall of the affected cars or offering compensation to victims. "We were surprised when they didn't." </p><p>Michaels' complaint alleges that the manufacturers failed to disclose that the cars lacked immobilizers, "thereby misrepresenting the vehicles' safety, ease of theft, and value to consumers." He also argued that the real problem came down to the bottom line. "The reality is these are just very cheaply made cars where every corner is cut to save a nickel," Michaels said.</p><p>In a statement to Insider, a Kia spokesperson wrote that "potential lawsuits against Kia by municipalities are without merit. All Kia vehicles are subject to and comply fully with rigorous testing rules and regulations outlined in the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards."</p><p>Both Kia and Hyundai told Insider that in response to the thefts, the companies have introduced a free anti-theft-software upgrade, as Hyundai noted, "to prevent the vehicles from starting during a method of theft popularized on TikTok and other social media." The upgrades are being offered through Hyundai and Kia dealerships, and Hyundai's CEO <a href="https://www.hyundainews.com/en-us/releases/3768" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has said</a> the company is prioritizing the vehicles "most targeted by thieves."</p><h2><strong>A nightmare for carmakers</strong></h2><p>The ripple effect of the Kia Challenge could have extreme repercussions for manufacturers — especially since State Farm and Progressive <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/state-farm-progressive-insurance-policies-kia-hyundai-car-thefts-2023-1">decided not to write insurance policies</a> for the vulnerable models in some cities. According to Mark Friedlander, the director of corporate communications for the Insurance Information Institute, it's a significant move. "They're taking unique steps we've never seen before," he told me, adding that Kia and Hyundai "need to do much more to resolve the issue."</p><p>And it's not just insurance that's becoming a problem. Andrea Amico, the founder and CEO of Privacy4Cars, a company that addresses automotive data-privacy issues, told me other companies are taking steps to avoid risk. "There are garages that are refusing to have these vehicles in their garage because they're concerned about the liability if the car is stolen," Amico said. "And if you cannot insure your car and cannot park, this has an immediate impact on what the asset is worth." Luckily for Kia and Hyundai owners, the still-pervasive shortfall of vehicles for sale means <a href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/investigates/better-call-4/better-call-4-does-security-flaw-affect-resale-value-of-hyundais-kias/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the value of the cars hasn't dropped</a> too much despite the theft problem. But that could change. </p><p>Moving forward, manufacturers will likely need to think about how quickly a viral video can expose product flaws, Venkatesh Prasad, the senior vice president for research at the Center for Automotive Research, told me. "The question is what do you do about that exposure," he said. Prasad said that consumers expect companies to immediately issue fixes like hardware or software upgrades, but these Band-Aid solutions could mean that break-ins will become more sophisticated, because unlike producers of security systems, perpetrators have more free time and share their tricks on social media. "It's a cat-and-a-mouse problem," he said.</p><p>Long-term risks or repercussions for the companies, if any, will likely hinge on the outcomes of the lawsuits. In the end, the real brunt of this problem won't fall on giant, global car manufacturers but on the people who are having their lives disrupted.</p><h2><strong>'Kia Boys back at it'</strong></h2><p>Five days after her car was stolen, Lebeau-Chorn received a call from a police officer that it had been found. A friend drove her to a tow yard, where she found her car in a sorry state. The door handles had been spray-painted black and the wires from under the hood and the steering wheel had been ripped out, she told me. Clothes she had planned to donate were strewn around the car, the license plates were missing, and the glove compartment was flung open. Her insurance company declared that her car was totaled. "It was a horrible time for me," she said.</p><p>According to police <a href="https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/portlandpolicebureau/viz/MonthlyStolenVehicleStatistics/Dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> and other <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/08/tiktok-challenge-spurs-rise-in-thefts-of-kia-hyundai-cars.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reports</a>, most of the stolen vehicles have been recovered — the cars largely intact, but trashed. After Jenkins' car was stolen, a tracker in her car led the police to where it was left, 14 minutes from her house. In order to haul the car back home, she had to use the same tactics employed by the thieves: cracking open the steering column and using her own USB cord to start it. Fortunately, the only real damage was a broken window, but she couldn't find a replacement in Atlanta and ended up driving five hours to get it fixed. </p><p>The culprits behind the thefts often <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@vesterp1/video/7161916100882615594?_t=8aJuQNhk9Ta&amp;_r=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">refer to themselves</a> on TikTok as "Kia Boys." (In a <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220725152436/https://www.tiktok.com/@robbierayyy/video/7119588490127363370?_t=8UHLzoAg8TG&amp;_r=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screenshot</a> of what appears to be the original video, @robbierayyy used the hashtag #kiaboyz.) The joyriding has resulted in a couple fatal accidents. In October, four teens between 14 and 17 were <a href="https://www.kgns.tv/2022/10/25/4-teens-killed-crash-possibly-linked-tiktok-car-theft-challenge-sheriff-says/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> in Buffalo, New York, after a stolen Kia they were riding in crashed. In Illinois last month, three 13-year-olds were arrested after being seen in a stolen Kia that <a href="https://abc7chicago.com/stolen-kia-car-crash-robbins/12805852/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hit and killed</a> a 71-year-old man. And while there are plenty of videos of joyriders, there are also dozens of viral videos from people documenting their experiences recovering stolen cars. In one, the user <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@mrsmillionaire/video/7191925968213151018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@mrsmillionaire</a> went inside her Kia to find the USB still dangling from the ignition. "That is a phone charger y'all," she says. In another, <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@lina.bakman/video/7161609760759090478" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@lina.bakman</a> filmed the aftermath of what seemed like a theft attempt, showing her backseat full of broken glass and the steering column busted open, with a caption on the video that read "good try Kia boys."</p><p>For the most part, though, the trend has been more of a financial burden for consumers. Jenkins said the car theft cost her about $400, money she had set aside for a special trip for her daughter's 13th birthday to the Mall of America's Nickelodeon Universe theme park in Minnesota. They weren't able to go.</p><p>"I'm pissed," she told me.</p><p>Even though the original video was taken down, the hack is now out there, and the thefts haven't shown any signs of slowing down. After Lebeau-Chorn's Kia was stolen, she had no choice but to rent a car while she shopped for a new one. Her insurance company gave her $16,000 for the totaled car, but the additional financial strain was still a burden. After months of careful consideration, she chose a 2022 Subaru Forester. All told, the theft cost her over $29,000.</p><p><em><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/britta-lokting" rel="">Britta Lokting</a> is a journalist in New York. She's written for The New York Times, The Washington Post Magazine, VICE, and elsewhere.</em></p>

Criminals are stealing hundreds of thousands of Kias and Hyundais &mdash; and TikTok is to blame

<p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Steven John/Business Insider</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></a></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><strong>Finding ways to integrate tech into a child's learning and play without relying 100% on screens presents parents with a serious challenge.</strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo play kits</a> help parents overcome this issue by integrating an iPad, iPhone, or Amazon Fire Tablet with hands-on art, building, counting, and manipulation activities that encourage critical thinking and physical coordination.</strong></li><li><strong>Prices start at $60.99 and include a base station and a mirror, with additional games starting at $15.99. </strong></li><li><strong>There is an <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo kit</a> for just about every interest, from a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJ1XSGP/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07GJ1XSGP&amp;linkId=438cb06b203855efb95e517e961bb232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">geography-themed detective agency kit</a> to multiple drawing programs to math and science projects. </strong></li></ul><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Three weeks ago, my son Benjamin had a tenuous grasp - at best - when it came to understanding fractions or how to count money once cents became involved. He'd also never heard of the Taj Mahal and had only a vague sense of the layout of Paris. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, he's only five and a half years old, so my wife and I hardly expected him to know how to make change for a $20 when the bill was $14.85, or to point out the Notre-Dame on a cartoon map of the French capital.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But then we got him the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JF3Z29/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071JF3Z29&amp;linkId=8cd4ae4d1268a69327da67755b4be001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo Pizza Co. Game</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJ1XSGP/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07GJ1XSGP&amp;linkId=438cb06b203855efb95e517e961bb232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo Detective Agency: A Search &amp; Find Mystery Game</a>, and within a week or so, sure enough the kid was doing advanced math and soaking up information about world geography like never before.</span><strong> </strong></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo</a> makes brilliant use of one of the most important pieces of technology of our times - smart devices and tablets - </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">but takes the play and learning</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> largely off the screen to engage with kids.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Children use things like erasable pens, maps, magnifying glasses, fake money, and fake pizza toppings in front of a propped up <a href="http://apple.sjv.io/c/196318/435031/7613?subId1=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Fbuy-ipad%2Fipad-9-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iPad</a> to solve mysteries, create works of art, assemble the perfect pizza, count out dollars and cents, and beyond.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My son has played with a lot of great educational toys over the last few years, but few have been as effective as the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo play kits</a> at providing genuine entertainment and education at the same time. And rarely have I checked out a toy and within minutes, said to my wife,"This is coming on the next trip with us!"</span></p><h2><strong>Setting up the Osmo hardware</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Using any <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo play kit</a> requires two pieces of hardware - a base station and a mirror, which costs </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">for <a href="https://amzn.to/2JCQU9l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$39.99 for the Amazon Fire Tablet</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/2XBv7so" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$39.99 for the iPad</a>, or <a href="https://amzn.to/2G47Ap5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$16.83 for the iPhone</a>. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">This hardware comes with some of the kits but not all, so make sure you're getting the essentials before you start ordering anything from company. We have the one for an iPad.</span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The base station holds an iPad, tablet, or phone upright at a slight angle while the mirror piece slides down over the camera and redirects its view to an area in front of the screen where, in theory, your child will play. This elegantly simple design allows for perfect integration with the screen and the hands-on activities in which your child will engage, activities that truly do meet just about every interest a kid could have.</span></p><h2><strong>What an Osmo kit does</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JF3Z29/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071JF3Z29&amp;linkId=8cd4ae4d1268a69327da67755b4be001" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Say you want your kid to learn about fractions. What sounds more fun - problems in a math textbook or assembling a pizza that's one-fourth pepperoni and one-half peppers? Or maybe your child wants to get better at drawing - would instructions from Mickey Mouse, Mr. Incredible, or a Disney princess help keep him or her engaged and amused even as those fine motor skills develop? And last I checked, running a detective agency that sees a kid (virtually) chasing thieves across the globe is a much more enjoyable way to learn geography than with flashcards.</span><strong> </strong></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo kits</a> make use of the impressive processing power of an <a href="http://apple.sjv.io/c/196318/435031/7613?subId1=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Fbuy-ipad%2Fipad-9-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iPad</a> or tablet, and allows for a unique, tangible interaction that hardly feels like wasted screen time. We have no problem with our son wrapping up his allotted video game session only to turn to his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F9FPJYM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07F9FPJYM&amp;linkId=4cd7ea4fc2c16f67d70f11ff2f27167d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo Super Studio drawing program</a> or his <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JF3Z29/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071JF3Z29&amp;linkId=8cd4ae4d1268a69327da67755b4be001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pizza Co. game</a> because we know he's both learning and having fun.</span></p><h2><strong>Pros and cons to consider</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The design of the Osmo hardware and how the kits integrate physical objects and art creation impressed me. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">What really amazed me was just how quickly Ben's grasp of basic math and geography concepts, and drawing technique advanced. He completed the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JF3Z29/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071JF3Z29&amp;linkId=8cd4ae4d1268a69327da67755b4be001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pizza Co. kit</a> in less than a week and at the time of this writing, is almost done with every challenge in the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJ1XSGP/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07GJ1XSGP&amp;linkId=438cb06b203855efb95e517e961bb232" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Detective Agency</a> too.</span></p><p>The price tag is steep for some kits and not cheap for any, so the speed and alacrity at which he completed these kits is my only real complaint because once finished, most Osmo products don't have a lot of replay value. It's not like the characters hid<span style="font-weight: 400;">den on the cartoon maps can move to new locations, and it's not all that much fun to draw the same Donald Duck cartoon a third time. </span></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some of the kits do have more open-ended play and others can be replayed on harder levels, but just know that you might only be buying a few days of entertainment. That said, the skills and knowledge gained last indefinitely.</span></p><h2><strong>Another option to consider</strong></h2><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While there aren't really other products like the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo hardware and kits</a>, it is worth noting that you don't need an <a href="http://apple.sjv.io/c/196318/435031/7613?subId1=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Fbuy-ipad%2Fipad-9-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">iPad</a> to use Osmo games or projects. Like I mentioned, t</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">here is also a <a href="https://amzn.to/2G47Ap5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$16.83 base and mirror for the iPhone</a> as well as <a href="https://amzn.to/2JCQU9l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a $39.99 option for the Amazon Fire Tablet</a>.</span><strong><br /></strong></p><h2><strong>So is an Osmo kit really worth your money?</strong></h2><p><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F9FPJYM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07F9FPJYM&amp;linkId=4cd7ea4fc2c16f67d70f11ff2f27167d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Amazon</span></p></div><p></p></div></div></strong></a></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Paying upwards of $70 for a play kit that your child may only use for a week or two is a bit of a drag to be sure, but there are plenty of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osmo kits</a> in the $40 range and a few art kits under $20 provided you already have the base and are only getting the game.</span><strong> </strong></p><p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Price aside, I'd still strongly recommend Osmo because I'd rather pay a good chunk of change for something I know my kid will love for at least a little while and from which he'll draw lasting value than spend less on a toy or activity that may well fizzle from the start.</span><strong><br /></strong></p><p><strong>Pros: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Genuinely educational and entertaining at the same time, multiple kits covering different topics available, kits pack down small for easy travel or storage</span></p><p><strong>Cons: </strong><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many kits lack solid replay value, some kits are quite expensive</span></p><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNZ4J67/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07JNZ4J67&amp;linkId=b527a2d8efb858cae6a18598a86613d7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get an Osmo Base and Mirror for iPad</strong></a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNZ4J67/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07JNZ4J67&amp;linkId=b527a2d8efb858cae6a18598a86613d7" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong> from Amazon for $39.99</strong></a></h3><h3><strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071FN6KXK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071FN6KXK&amp;linkId=3ca460319d093e119625c0f155179374" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get an Osmo Genius Kit for iPad (base included) from Amazon for $70</a> </strong></h3><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071JF3Z29/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B071JF3Z29&amp;linkId=8cd4ae4d1268a69327da67755b4be001" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get an Osmo Pizza Co. Kit from Amazon for $39.99</strong></a><strong> </strong></h3><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GJ1XSGP/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07GJ1XSGP&amp;linkId=438cb06b203855efb95e517e961bb232" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get an Osmo Detective Agency Kit from Amazon for $39.99</strong></a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F9FPJYM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=biip_070319_osmo-kits-product-review-20&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;creativeASIN=B07F9FPJYM&amp;linkId=4cd7ea4fc2c16f67d70f11ff2f27167d" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong>Get an Osmo Super Studio Kit from Amazon for $14</strong></a></h3><p class="tagline"><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

My 5-year-old learned about fractions in less than a week playing this educational iPad game - here's how it works

<p><em><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider Picks</a><span> </span>writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.</em></p><p><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fheadlamp-330%3Fvariant%3D12623824289891" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Biolite Facebook</span></p><p class="caption">Everything BioLite makes is on sale right now, and there's no code required.</p></div><p></p></div></div></em></a></p><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fheadlamp-330%3Fvariant%3D12623824289891" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BioLite's HeadLamp 330</a> is the best rechargeable head light on the market for running and everyday use.</li><li>BioLite also make a great selection of camp stoves, solar panels and lights, and power bricks.</li><li>Now through May 28, <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">everything is on sale for up to 35% off for Memorial Day</a>. </li></ul><p>I have other <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-headlamp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">headlamps</a> I use for hiking, cycling, and working in the dark, but none are as easy to use, comfortable, or intuitive as the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fheadlamp-330%3Fvariant%3D12623824289891" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BioLite HeadLamp 330</a>.</p><p>I have long hair, and often use a hairband to keep it out of my way if I am running, climbing, or working on our truck. This headlamp doesn't feel any different to a thick elastic headband, but it throws out 330 lumens of white light for 3.5 hours, or red light to preserve night vision. What that translates to is a month of after-dark checks to see if my chickens are roosting, or the entirety of a camping trip without a recharge. The no-bounce design, light weight, and adjustable angle also make it a great choice for night-time trail runs and climbs that start before dawn.</p><p>From May 20 to May 28, BioLite is running a sitewide sale where you can save up to 35% on everything, including the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fheadlamp-330%3Fvariant%3D12623824289891" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Headlamp 330</a>.<span> </span>I'll be stocking up on headlamps as gifts (my mother uses one for early-morning livestock checks on her farm, my father for walking his dogs after dark). At $42.46 instead of its usual $50, this is a modest discount, but nevertheless the cheapest one I have ever seen the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fheadlamp-330%3Fvariant%3D12623824289891" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Headlamp 330</a>.</p><p>Another favorite BioLite item on sale this Memorial Day is the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fsolarhome-620%3Fvariant%3D190823858190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SolarHome 620</a>, a solar-powered lighting and radio system that has been a great addition to my adventure truck. The large solar panel can soak up enough of the sun's energy to easily light our home away from home all night and still spare some juice for charging cellphones. Its three lights are perfect for lighting a campsite, cooking area, and tent, and are much easier to set up than a dual-battery system on the truck. With the provided hooks we simply use trees, rocks, or hiking poles to suspend the lights and our campsite becomes a beacon in the wilderness. The 18-foot daisy chain and remote switches mean we can see all the way to our tent, and then shut off the lights once we're tucked up in bed. There's also a motion sensor, which really freaks out would-be food thieving coyotes. You can plug in an MP3 player or listen to the radio, which is a nice bonus if you're using the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fsolarhome-620%3Fvariant%3D190823858190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SolarHome</a> as your party hub. The system is robust, too, so much so that over 40,000 homes in Kenya rely on it for light (which would otherwise be provided by fire that is harmful to the lungs) and use the radio for a connection to outside news and information. During the sale, the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fsolarhome-620%3Fvariant%3D190823858190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SolarHome is only $127.46</a>, a saving of $22.49 on its usual price.</p><p>BioLite's most famous item is its <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fcampstove-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CampStove</a>, which acts like your own tiny power plant by turning solid fuel into power for your electronic devices while it heats water for your dinner! It also includes a small light to light up your surroundings, boils 1 liter of water in 4-5 minutes, and packs down into the same space as a 32-ounce Nalgene bottle. With a discount of $19.49, the <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Fcampstove-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CampStove is just $110.46</a> through Memorial Day.</p><p>In addition to these products, <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BioLite</a> makes a great selection of power bricks, camp cookware, lights, home stoves, and even a pizza oven! Everything is on sale right now, and there's no code required. </p><h3><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&amp;merchant_id=1cfa54d6-0e66-4762-9f7a-1e11cb8e1c37&amp;website_id=9597bdee-ce2a-4552-aa13-419b5f275c06&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bioliteenergy.com%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out the BioLite site for additional savings during the company's sitewide Memorial Day sale.</a> </h3><p class="tagline"><p><a href="http://e.businessinsider.com/join/ci/insider-picks">Subscribe to our newsletter.</a><br><br>Find all the best offers at our <a href="https://coupons.businessinsider.com/">Coupons page</a>.<br><br>Disclosure: This post is brought to you by the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our commerce partners. We frequently receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising sales team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at insiderpicks@businessinsider.com.</br></br></br></br></p></p>

BioLite is responsible for some of the most innovative outdoor gear on the market today - and it's all up to 35% off for Memorial Day

<p><em><strong>Welcome to Finance Insider, Business Insider's summary of the top stories of the past 24 hours.</strong></em></p><p>Around midday on March 23, the news that a once vaunted hedge fund <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-money-to-launch-a-hedge-fund-2017-3">would close started rippling through New York's hedge fund community</a>. Eton Park Capital Management, a $7 billion hedge fund run by former Goldman Sachs wunderkind Eric Mindich, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/one-of-the-biggest-hedge-fund-launches-of-all-time-is-reportedly-shutting-down-2017-3">announced it would shutter</a>. </p><p>In several ways, Eton Park's rise and closure symbolize <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-money-to-launch-a-hedge-fund-2017-3">a broader journey for the hedge fund industry</a>. With some of the biggest hedge funds around closing, Business Insider took a look at <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-raise-money-to-launch-a-hedge-fund-2017-3">what it takes to launch one today</a>.</p><p>Elsewhere in finance news, an increasing number of Americans have stopped paying their car loans, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-is-worried-about-car-loans-2017-3">and Wall Street is starting to worry</a>. And Goldman Sachs just <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-promotes-joanne-hannaford-to-head-of-the-technology-division-for-emea-2017-3">named a new head of technology in EMEA</a>.</p><p>President Trump is making huge changes to his <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-infrastructure-tax-plan-changes-after-ahca-trumpcare-2017-3">economic plans after the "Trumpcare" defeat</a>.</p><p><span>The </span><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/index/dow_jones">Dow Jones industrial average</a><span> closed in negative territory for the eighth day in a row on Monday, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dow-jones-industrial-average-stock-market-8-day-losing-streak-2017-3">the first such losing streak since the European debt crisis was at its peak</a>. </span></p><p>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-rally-great-unwind-rosenberg-2017-3">Trump rally's "great unwind" might just be getting started</a>, according to David Rosenberg at Gluskin Sheff. And <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/survey-heres-where-america-wants-trump-to-focus-his-efforts-2017-3">here's where America wants Trump to focus his efforts</a>, according to Legg Mason. </p><p>In more positive news, a<span><span> gauge of US home <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-house-prices-sp-corelogic-caseshiller-index-january-2017-2017-3">prices rose to a 31-month high in January</a>. And </span></span>US consumer confidence <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/consumer-confidence-conference-board-march-2017-2017-3">exploded to the highest level since 2000</a>.</p><p>Elsewhere, GM is jumping as it faces off with David Einhorn over <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-einhorns-greenlight-capital-urges-gm-to-create-two-share-classes-2017-3">a plan to split its stock in to two classes</a>. American Airlines is buying a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-china-southern-airlines-to-sell-200-million-shares-to-american-airlines-2017-3">$200 million chunk of China's largest airline</a>. And the former CEO of Valeant is suing the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-former-valeant-ceo-sues-company-over-unmade-compensation-wsj-2017-3">embattled drug company for not paying him more than 3 million shares</a>.</p><p>In deal news, tech startup Yext <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/yext-prices-ipo-valuation-2017-3">priced its IPO at $8 to $10 a share</a>. Chinese tech giant <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-chinese-tech-giant-tencent-takes-5-percent-stake-in-tesla-2017-3">Tencent has taken a 5% stake in Tesla</a>. And a<span> Chinese conglomerate</span><span> </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/a-chinese-conglomerate-is-in-talks-to-buy-a-controlling-stake-in-forbes-2017-3">is in talks to buy a controlling stake in Forbes</a><span>.</span></p><p>In media news, Wall Street Journal staffers signed a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/wall-street-journal-diversity-letter-from-newsroom-2017-3">letter criticizing the control white men have over the newsroom</a>. </p><p>Lastly, you could soon own a 104-metre-long private mega-yacht complete with a helipad, glass elevator, cinema, and beach club - <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-fraser-yachts-160-million-private-mega-yacht-2017-3">but it'll cost you £160 million ($200 million)</a>.</p><p><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/INTC-Quote"></a><em><strong>Here are the top Wall Street headlines from the past 24 hours.</strong></em></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/yum-ceo-gregory-creed-on-artificial-intelligence-2017-3">YUM CEO: Machines could "run the world" by the mid to late 2020s</a></strong> - <span>Greg Creed, the CEO of </span><a href="http://markets.businessinsider.com/stock/YUM-Quote">Yum Brands</a><span>, the</span><span> owner of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell,</span><span> spoke about how he sees technological innovation developing over the next decade or two, and how his industry has already seen changes.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-movie-business-is-in-big-trouble-2017-3">The movie business is in big trouble, and studios are scrambling to figure out the future</a> </strong>- <span>Anyone in the movie business who tells you they're not scared stiff about the future is probably lying.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-share-price-how-apple-could-hit-200-ubs-milunovich-2017-3">How one analyst thinks Apple could hit $200</a> - </strong>UBS analyst Steven Milunovich believes Apple might be able to hit a $200 stock price if everything goes right for the company over the next few years. </p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/banker-at-goldman-sachs-offers-her-advice-2017-3">A top Goldman Sachs dealmaker says she learned a major career lesson eating in a cafeteria in Milan</a></strong> - <span>It's no secret that women are often </span><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/subtle-ways-women-treated-differently-work-2014-6">treated differently in the workplace</a><span>. And that is especially the case in more male-dominated fields such as financial services.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/emirates-dhs-laptop-ban-business-effect-2017-3">EMIRATES PRESIDENT: We don't know if the US laptop ban will hurt business - but here's how things went this weekend</a></strong> - Emirates Airline won't be able to gauge the financial effects of the US government's <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/us-government-laptop-ban-effect-today-what-we-know-2017-3" target="_blank">ban on laptops on flights from the Middle East until May</a>, but the rollout of the policy last weekend was relatively smooth, its president, Sir Tim Clark, said in an interview with Business Insider.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/johnson-johnson-ceos-burnt-out-2017-3">Johnson &amp; Johnson just launched a $100,000 burnout prevention bootcamp for CEOs</a></strong> - <span>If you're going by </span><a href="https://hbr.org/1996/07/when-executives-burn-out">the Harvard Business Review</a><span>, executive burnout has been a problem for nearly 40 years.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/r-update-1-fda-approves-regeneron-sanofi-37000-per-year-eczema-drug-2017-3">The FDA just approved a new drug to treat eczema that costs $37,000 a year</a></strong> - <span>The FDA on Tuesday approved Regeneron Pharmaceuticals and Sanofi's Dupixent for treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, a product widely seen as the most important future growth driver for the two companies.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/massive-gold-coin-worth-millions-stolen-from-german-museum-2017-3">Thieves broke into a German museum and stole a massive $4.5 million gold coin</a></strong> - <span>Thieves broke into the German capital's Bode Museum before dawn Monday and made off with a massive 100-kilogram (221-pound) gold coin worth millions of dollars, police said.</span></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/clothing-items-guys-should-have-before-30-2017-3">22 clothing items every man should own before he turns 30</a> - </strong>When a man turns 30, he turns around and looks back at his life.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/chris-burchs-nihiwatu-resort-is-the-best-hotel-in-the-world-2017-3">Fashion mogul Chris Burch built a five-star resort on a remote Indonesian island - and it's officially the best in the world</a> - </strong>After founding or cofounding several internationally known retail brands - C. Wonder and Tory Burch - and <a href="http://www.burchcreativecapital.com/portfolio/">investing in several others</a>, Chris Burch is taking his entrepreneurial eye to a new industry: hospitality.</p>

What you need to know on Wall Street right now

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span>Reuters/Jim Young</span></p><p class="caption">A shopper walks down an aisle in a newly opened Walmart Neighborhood Market in Chicago in this Sept. 21, 2011 file photo.</p></div><p></p></div></div>Self-service checkout lanes are everywhere.</p><p>Walmart, Target, Kroger, Whole Foods, and CVS are among the many retailers that offer the self-service technology, which allows customers to scan and bag their own purchases.</p><p>But there's an alarming downside to the self-checkout lanes: they encourage even the most honest shoppers to become petty thieves, according to <a href="http://www.alphagalileo.org/AssetViewer.aspx?AssetId=114179&amp;CultureCode=en">a new study</a> cited by the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/11/business/self-service-checkouts-can-turn-customers-into-shoplifters-study-says.html?_r=0">New York Times</a>.</p><p><span>"Retailers could find themselves accused of making theft so easy that some customers who would normally - and happily - pay are tempted to commit crime, especially when they feel 'justified' in doing it," the researchers said. The study was conducted by <span>Professor Adrian Beck and Matt Hopkins of the University of Leicester in England.</span></span></p><p><span><span>The study found that self-checkout technology typically generates "significantly high" loss rates of nearly 4%.</span></span></p><p><span><span>Losses can come from a number of issues. Customers either deliberately or accidentally fail to scan some items by leaving them in their cart. They can also make mistakes in the scanning process - for example, identifying higher-priced organic produce as conventionally grown, which costs less.</span></span></p><p><span><span>For example, one retailer described an incident where a shopper didn't scan all his items:</span></span></p><p><span><span>"This guy scans three items, pays for those three items, punches in his card details, which is great for us because we can track him… but there's five items that haven't been scanned, and soon as he's got his receipt, he bags those up. That to me would be strong enough to put in front of the police and say this is absolutely premeditated, he's decided he's going to steal them, you can see by his behavior he's made no attempt to pay for them."</span></span></p><p><span><span><span>But retailers are very wary of prosecuting shoppers, because it's potentially a "legal and customer relations minefield," researchers said.</span></span></span></p><p><span>"Giving customers the freedom to self-scan gives them the opportunity to blame faulty technology, problems with the product barcodes or claim that they are not technically proficient as reasons for non-scanning," the researchers wrote. "Proving intent is difficult where customer nonscanning is identified and deciding whether prosecutions can be made or not is potentially a legal and customer relations minefield."</span></p><p><span>Beyond the legal issues, there are reputational implications.</span></p><p><span><span>"Across some jurisdictions retailers have been concerned about potential reputational damage that might be caused by prosecuting customers for not scanning a small number of items," the researchers said.</span></span></p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/healthy-fast-food-meals-pizza-papa-johns-mcdonalds-taco-bell-calories-fat-2016-8"> 5 'healthy' fast food meals that are worse for you than pizza</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="podm81NTE6i5MDBvAqA_50JCXE_Fm33q" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Shoppers have discovered a devious new way to steal from stores

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch" title_caption="A German police officer looks through the entrance of a tunnel January 17, 2013, dug by thieves in order to enter the safe deposit room of a bank in Berlin. Robbers dug the 100-foot (30 metre) long tunnel, from a nearby underground parking garage into a branch of Berliner Volksbank and stole the contents of several hundred safe-deposit boxes. " class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5530eeacdd089562488b45ed-960/rtr3ckd1.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch</span></p><p class="caption">A German police officer looks through the entrance of a tunnel January 17, 2013, dug by thieves in order to enter the safe deposit room of a bank in Berlin. Robbers dug the 100-foot (30 metre) long tunnel, from a nearby underground parking garage into a branch of Berliner Volksbank and stole the contents of several hundred safe-deposit boxes. </p></div><p></p></div></div>Police think they may have some idea who staged the spectacular tunnelling <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/hatton-garden-jewelery-robbery-timeline-2015-4">robbery of the Hatton Garden jewelry safe deposit building in London over Easter</a>.</p><p>The robbers abseiled down a lift shaft during the long holiday weekend, drilled through 2 metres of concrete, and may have made off with up to £200 million in diamonds, gold, and other gems.</p><p><a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article4413991.ece">The Times says the same gang may have staged a similar movie-quality robbery</a> in Berlin two years ago: </p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">In January 2013, a gang drilled through 80cm of reinforced concrete to enter the vault of the Volksbank in Steglitz, southwest Berlin. They opened 294 security deposit boxes, stealing diamonds, gold and silver valued at more than €10 million (£8.3 million).</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">In both cases an "inside man" was suspected and the gang began drilling after the businesses closed for the weekend - and police were not called for two days after an alarm was ignored.</p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch" title_caption="General view of the entrance to the tunnel that was dug into Berliner Volksbank two years ago." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5530eeacdd089562488b45ee-960/rtr3ckd9.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch</span></p><p class="caption">General view of the entrance to the tunnel that was dug into Berliner Volksbank two years ago.</p></div><p></p></div></div><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">The owner is in Sudan and has not been seen for ages</strong></strong></p><p>Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-detectives-quiz-5520808">police are still hoping to question the owner of the Hatton garden building - who is in Sudan. </a></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch" title_caption="The branch of Berliner Volksbank in Berlin that may have been hit by the same gang in 2013." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5530eeacdd089562488b45ef-960/rtr3ckdw.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch</span></p><p class="caption">The branch of Berliner Volksbank in Berlin that may have been hit by the same gang in 2013.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The whereabouts of the owner are a bit of a mystery, <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-detectives-quiz-5520808">according to The Mirror</a>:</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">Manish Bavishi, 38, was out of the country during the raid and officers are keen to talk to him about how the jewel gang were able to spend two nights plundering his vault.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">Although there is no suggestion that the directors and staff have done anything wrong, experts are convinced the thieves had inside knowledge about the building's layout and security.</p><p style="padding-left: 30px;">A man claiming to be Mr Bavishi's brother who answered the phone at his home in Harrow, north London, said he had no idea where he was. A second man at the address said Mr Bavishi not been in the <keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> for around a year.</p><p>Residents who live near to the scene of the robbery said there were also some peculiar power cuts in the area about two weeks before the robbery, <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/hatton-garden-residents-tell-of-peculiar-power-cuts-a-week-before-jewellery-raid-10172292.html">according to The Evening Standard</a>.</p><p><strong>The timeline of the Hatton Garden Robbery</strong></p><p>The Hatton Garden Safe Deposit robbery was incredibly well-planned: A gang of up to seven men may have made off with £200 million ($300 million) in gold, jewels, and diamonds after abseiling down a lift shaft and drilling into the side of a concrete vault.</p><p>Over Easter weekend - a four-day holiday during which no business is conducted - the men worked with a 77-pound, <span>£3,500 <span>Hilti DD350 drill to cut through 2 metres of concrete. It took them two and a half days to break into the vault and rifle 72 safety deposit boxes, many of them filled with unregistered, uninsured jewelry from the local diamond trade. It's not clear how much has been stolen, but lower estimates come in at £60 million. It is likely to be the biggest robbery in UK history.</span></span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right click-to-enlarge"><div><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch" title_caption="A composite sketch of a man suspected in the Berlin robbery." class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5530eeaddd089562488b45f0-960/hatton-garden-berliner-volksbank.jpg"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch</span></p><p class="caption">A composite sketch of a man suspected in the Berlin robbery.</p></div><p></p></div></div>The robbers - nicknamed Mr Ginger, Mr Strong, Mr Montana, The Gent, The Tall Man, Moped Man and The Old Man <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-cctv-watch-5496077">by The Mirror</a> - even drove away and, the next day, came back to finish the job. They used a white transit van and a moped in the operation.</p><p>Although the robbers were professional, they may have left behind certain clues. Most obviously, the raid began exactly four minutes after the vault was locked - suggesting they had inside knowledge. One robber exposed part of his face, and two exposed their hair colours - grey and ginger.</p><p>And, despite the fact they had plenty of time, they left behind a bunch of tools and equipment, including that signature heavy-duty drill.</p><p>We put together this timeline of exactly how the robbery went down from reports <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32263174">from the BBC</a><span> and t</span>his <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-cctv-watch-5496077">video obtained by The Mirror</a><span>, which shows the CCTV view of the door of the Hatton Garden vault (in the photo below).</span></p><p><strong><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></strong></p><p><strong>January 2013</strong></p><p>An unknown gang drills through 80 cm of concrete into the Volksbank in Berlin. They get away with diamonds, gold and silver valued at more than €10 million (£8.3 million), <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/crime/article4413991.ece">according to The Times</a>.</p><p><strong style="line-height: 1.5em;">December 11, 2014</strong></p><p>Two £3,500 Hilti DD350 drills and another £63,000 of equipment <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-cctv-raiders-5496682">are stolen from a construction</a> site on Fetter Lane, London, according to The Mirror. Hilti only sells a few hundred units of that type of drill. <strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Mid-March 2015</strong></p><p>Residents report a "peculiar" power cut about two weeks prior to the robbery, <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/hatton-garden-residents-tell-of-peculiar-power-cuts-a-week-before-jewellery-raid-10172292.html">according to the Standard</a>.</p><p><strong>April 1 (Wednesday) 2015</strong></p><p>12.00: An underground <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/london-police-chief-holborn-fire-200-million-jewellery-heist-2015-4">fire breaks out in the nearby Holborn neighbourhood</a> and <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/holborn-fire-wasnt-deliberate-says-london-fire-boss-after-claims-it-was-linked-to-hatton-garden-raid-10164258.html">burns for several days</a>. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The fire was fuelled by a gas leak, and lasted 36 hours, <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/london-police-chief-holborn-fire-200-million-jewellery-heist-2015-4">according to the BBC</a>. There were still problems over the Bank Holiday break. The fire disables the neighbourhood and ties up emergency services for days. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">John O'Connor, the former head of Scotland Yard's Flying Squad, tells LBC he believes it is too much of a coincidence. <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/holborn-fire-wasnt-deliberate-says-london-fire-boss-after-claims-it-was-linked-to-hatton-garden-raid-10164258.html">The Met's helicopter is used to guide firefighters</a>.</span></p><p><strong>April 2 (Thursday) 2015</strong></p><p>21.19: Staff at Hatton Garden <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatton_Garden_safe_deposit_burglary">lock the doors for the weekend.</a></p><p>21.23 Four minutes later, Mr Ginger appears and descends to the vault. A few minutes later, three men get out of a white van and follow him with<span style="line-height: 1.5em;"> wheelie bins. </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">A man arrives and makes his way downstairs towards the vault. Mr Ginger is wearing latex gloves, a blue jacket, and a black flat cap. He is carrying a black sack.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">21.27: A white Ford Transit van pulls up outside. The men begin dragging wheelie bins into the building.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><br><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">21.30: The Gent arrives. He is dressed in a hard hat, balaclava, a bright yellow jacket with "Gas" on the back, striped socks and brown shoes.</span></br></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>21.31: Mr Strong arrives carrying a steel brace:</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>21.36 Mr Montana arrives wearing a top that says "Montana 93". He has a baseball cap and trainers, and a shaved head.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>Mr Montana and Mr Strong drag in more wheelie bins.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>21.41 The gang drag in an air conditioning system.</p><p><strong>April 3 (Good Friday) 2015</strong></p><p>00:21: Police at Scotland Yard are informed that the burglar alarm has been triggered. They do not respond.</p><p>01.00 (roughly): Mr Ginger is seen above ground briefly.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>07.51: The gang is seen above ground for the first time since the night before. They are bringing up their equipment in stages. It includes a red wrench, bolt cutters, two red tool boxes, a big black bucket, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32233310">an angle grinder and crowbars</a>. </p><p>08:05: First appearance of The Old Man. He has grey hair. Three gang members talk. One is wearing pink trainers. <span style="line-height: 1.5em;"></span></p><p>8.12: The transit van returns and the gang load it up.</p><p>10.00: The Holborn <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/holborn-fire-wasnt-deliberate-says-london-fire-boss-after-claims-it-was-linked-to-hatton-garden-raid-10164258.html">fire is finally brought under control</a>.</p><p><strong>April 4 (Easter Saturday) 2015</strong></p><p>22.17: Mr Ginger returns more than 18 hours after the gang's first shift in the vault. <span>He is wearing latex gloves and carrying a black sack. He goes downstairs towards the vault. </span>He is later joined by two other men over an hour later. </p><p>22.32: The Tall Man appears wearing a flat cap and carrying a blue Nike bag and a red tool box. Only three men appear to have returned to the scene.</p><p><strong>April 5 (Easter Sunday) 2015</strong></p><p>05.46: The gang begin bringing up more stuff to the surface.</p><p>06.01: According to The Mirror, The Old Man makes a mistake as he rests while dragging a bin: "The Old Man leans on the bin, struggling for breath, as he reveals a clear shot of the side of his face."</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>06.12 Moped Man pulls up in the alley. He leaves 20 minutes later.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>06.44: Three men get back into the van. They then drive off. The job is done: <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32263174">72 deposit boxes have been raided</a>.</p><p><strong>April 6 (Easter Monday) 2015</strong></p><p>Nothing happens.</p><p><strong>April 7 (Tuesday) 2015</strong></p><p>08.10: Met Flying Squad called to the scene, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-32207974">according to the BBC</a>.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><strong>April 9 (Thursday)</strong> <strong>2015</strong></p><p><a href="http://www.itv.com/news/2015-04-09/how-the-hatton-garden-robbery-was-carried-out/">According to ITV</a>, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Johnson of the Flying Squad gives a briefing on what happened inside the vault:</p><ul><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The communal lift on the second floor was disabled.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">They climbed down the lift shaft into the basement.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">They forced open a set of shutter doors before making their way to the vault.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">At the vault, the gang used a Hilti DD 350 drill to cut into the vault.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The vault is 2 metres thick, made of concrete.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The gang left behind numerous power tools.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">The vault is left in disarray, covered in debris and empty deposit boxes.</span></li><li><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">There was no sign of forced entry from the outside of the building.</span></li></ul><p><strong>April 11 (Saturday) 2015</strong></p><p>The BBC reports that police have yet to interview the owner of the building, who is overseas.</p><p><strong>April 13 (Monday) 2015</strong></p><p>The Holborn fire was <em>not</em> deliberately set, <a href="http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/holborn-fire-wasnt-deliberate-says-london-fire-boss-after-claims-it-was-linked-to-hatton-garden-raid-10164258.html">according to London fire commissioner Ron Dobson.</a></p><p><strong>April 14 (Tuesday) 2015</strong></p><p>The Mirror reports that owner <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/hatton-garden-heist-detectives-quiz-5520808">Manish Bavishi is in Sudan</a>, and hasn't been seen in about a year. </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dominos-pizza-hut-best-value-money-cost-per-ounce-analysis-2015-3">Domino's vs. Pizza Hut: Which chain has the best pizza for your money</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="doYzVwcDoYqwjLNoy548qA7MKTVhfghB" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

PHOTOS: The Hatton Garden jewel robbery gang may have struck twice

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/gas-flare-is-seen-at-an-oil-well-site-on-july-26-2013-news-photo/174480636#">Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images</a></span></p></div><p></p></div></div></p>
<p>WHEN his neighbour discovered gold in a Californian river in 1848, Sam Brannan could have kept quiet about it. Instead, he filled a jar with gold dust and rushed around the streets of San Francisco shouting "Gold! Gold! Gold!" He had good reason to incite a gold rush: he owned a shop nearby. He became California's first millionaire by selling picks, shovels, beans and bacon to the horde of prospectors who heeded his call.</p>
<p>Gold fever spread fast. The lure of buried treasure "sucked nearly every free hand and available arm to the gold mines", observes H.W. Brands in "The Age of Gold", a brilliant history of the period. "They tore themselves from warm hearths and good homes, promising to return; they fled from cold hearts and bad debts, vowing never to return." The Alta California, a local paper, reported that "The whole country...resounds to the sordid cry of gold! GOLD!! GOLD!!!" It added that this would be the last issue for a while, since all its staff were heading for the gold fields.</p>
<p>America's current shale-energy boom has plenty in common with the gold rush, and might prove as momentous. It has created a gusher of wealth in remote places. It has lured young men to wild frontier towns, such as Williston, North Dakota. Jim Cramer, a television host, sounded just like Brannan when he reported from North Dakota in 2011. "This new black gold rush is just getting started!" he bellowed, against a backdrop of nodding donkeys. "Listen, people in this country who need a job, get up here!"</p>
<p>Unlike the Alta California, not all of The Economist's writers have headed for the frontier. But one correspondent, intrigued by the parallels between the two booms, put on stout boots, packed a copy of "The Age of Gold" and set off for Williston.</p>
<p>For the '49ers--as the men who hurried west in that year became known--the trek to California was arduous. "Mules old enough to travel well were unavailable at any price," writes Brands. Prospectors who made their way overland went "at the pace of the slowest oxen [pulling their wagons], no more than two miles [3.2km] per hour". Many succumbed to cholera, thirst or Indian arrows. One group, on escaping from the most godforsaken tract of the Mojave desert, doffed their hats, turned back and said: "Goodbye, Death Valley!" "The name stuck," notes Brands.</p>
<p>The journey to North Dakota today is more straightforward. Still, when your correspondent tried to reserve a rental car at Bismarck airport, they were sold out. He eventually found a pickup truck. Driving it through the Badlands was hairy: hundreds of huge oil lorries kept thundering in the opposite direction along narrow country roads. The pickup went much faster than an ox wagon, except in the traffic jam outside Williston, which looked like a long, motionless steel snake festooned with lights. A sign offered a cheerful welcome to "Boomtown, USA".</p>
<h3>Men behaving badly</h3>
<p>The communities formed by the two groups of migrants have some striking similarities. For gold miners in California, life was almost as rough as the journey west had been. San Francisco in the summer of 1849 looked like "the bivouac of an army on the move", writes Brands; most of the buildings "were actually tents". The miners smelled awful. No one "could be bothered to wash dirty underwear, only to wash gold".</p>
<p>Workers in Williston today generally have it easier--though newcomers sometimes sleep in their cars, which is not advisable in the winter, when temperatures often drop below minus 20°C. Places to stay are scarce and expensive. Many oil workers live in "man camps", which look like college dormitories that have been built in a hurry. The companies that run them, such as Target Logistics of Texas, prefer the term "crew camps" to man camps; it sounds less burly and tattooed. But who are they kidding? When The Economist visited Tioga Lodge, one of Target's camps, 99% of the 930 residents were male.</p>
<p>It is a bare-bones place for men who work long, sweaty hours to sleep and eat. Happily the food is free and unlimited. The kitchens chop up vast quantities of meat into portions just small enough to fit on a plate. "They eat a lot," says the chief cook, Jeff Ball, who used to cater for troops in Afghanistan. Some workers heap their trays with meat and potatoes in the dining room, then walk over to the cafeteria to load up with burgers, hot dogs and pizza. Your correspondent, at the salad bar, felt lonely.</p>
<p>Mr Ball gives the oilmen whatever they want. If they crave blackened catfish and prawn gumbo like mom used to make in Louisiana, they can have it. Likewise if a crew from Mexico wants tamales. The only thing they can't have--in the man camp, at least--is alcohol. Oil firms prefer that dangerous machinery be handled by men with clear heads.</p>
<h3>Too drunk to frack</h3>
<p>Life in the gold fields was often violent. Miners drank and gambled and fought. Thieves and ruffians preyed on the weak and unwary. Justice was rough. Brannan, the shop-owner, led a committee of vigilantes. In June 1851 his men caught a gangster stealing a safe. After a two-hour "trial", they hanged him from a beam in a public square.</p>
<p>Williston, too, has developed a bareknuckle reputation. "The theft up here is unbelievable," says a private detective hired by an insurer to investigate the disappearance of 15 truckloads of oil. "A lot of people here are trying to get a piece of the action without working." And, with so few women in the neighbourhood, many men are frustrated.</p>
<p>"You put a bunch of guys together, working 12 hours a day, and they're going to get into fights," shrugs Josh Wipf, a mechanic from Montana who moved to Williston last year. Mr Wipf, who says the ratio of men to women in Williston "sucks", admits to having been in a bar fight himself. "It was about a girl, I think. I don't really remember. I was, you know..." he trails off.</p>
<p>"They get rowdy when they get drunk," says Alice Trottier, a student at Williston State College. "I would never go out jogging alone at night now," she laments. Like many young females in Williston, she finds it annoying to be stared at all the time. On the plus side, scarcity gives women power. Men "treat you like a princess. They pay for everything," says Ms Trottier. On a good night waiting tables at a pizza joint she can make $200.</p>
<p>In California during the gold rush, many men could only find female company if they paid for it. Life for boomtown prostitutes was rough and risky; some Chinese women, speaking no English, were in effect slaves to their pimps. But others made a lot of money. "At a time when a Paris streetwalker might make the equivalent of $2 a night, some of the Frenchwomen in San Francisco made $400," writes Brands. Belle Cora's brothel on Dupont Street was renowned for fine wine and music as well as sex. "Men with lust in their hearts...and gold in their pockets beat a path through the muddy streets to her door, where she made sure they wiped their feet before entering."</p>
<p>The same trade exists today in Williston, but with fewer chandeliers and violins. Most paid hookups are probably arranged online: the oil workers all have smartphones. Some practise the oldest profession the old-fashioned way, but this can annoy bystanders. One of the staff at Bubba's Bubbles, a laundry shop, says she "had to kick out" a woman with a pink wig who was accosting male customers in the parking lot.</p>
<h3>Striking it lucky</h3>
<p>The California gold rush was a low-tech affair. "No capital is required to obtain this gold, as the labouring man wants nothing but his pick, shovel and tin pan," wrote William Sherman, later a civil-war general, in a missive to President James Polk in 1848. It seemed to offer ordinary people a chance to get rich quick: one man, sifting through the dirt at the bottom of a stream, might conceivably find enough gold to retire on. Not a good chance, mind: only a lucky few prospectors struck the mother lode. The rest typically struggled to find enough ore to cover their expenses; some died poor and sorry, or quit panning to find a steadier job.</p>
<p>Fracking, by contrast, requires capital and expertise. Oil giants such as Statoil and Schlumberger are flocking to North Dakota. They bring pricey, high-tech equipment, from microseismic sensors to drilling rigs that walk, like something out of "Star Wars". From little frack pads in the middle of vast wheat fields, they can drill four miles down, more than a mile to the side, and, thanks to satellite technology, hit a target three feet across. Then they shoot thousands of gallons of water, sand and chemicals into the shale formation, creating hairline fractures in the rock--hence the procedure's proper name, "hydraulic fracturing". The sand stops those fractures from closing up when the pressure is turned off.</p>
<p>But North Dakota rewards ordinary folk, too. The lure is not a slender chance of becoming rich, but the near-certainty of finding a blue-collar job that pays middle-class wages. A roughneck or truck driver can easily make $100,000 a year. (Why did Mr Wipf make the trek from Montana? "Good money.") Anyone who can pass a drug test can find work.</p>
<p>And just as the gold rush made shopkeepers and shovelmakers rich, so the spoils of gas are widely spread. A whole economy has sprung up to support the frackers. Someone has to build man camps, roads and schools. North Dakota Developments, a property developer, is trucking ready-made six-room housing units over from Minnesota and erecting them in what used to be a cornfield. Rob Gavin, the boss, says demand is so strong that he expects to recoup the development costs in a single year.</p>
<p>The place is growing so fast that, even at boomtown wages, finding workers can be hard. Paul Coppinger, a boss at Weir-SPM, a firm that makes oil and gas pumps, says that only a couple of his 63 staff in Williston are native North Dakotans. The Walmart in town is the messiest your correspondent has ever seen; there are too few hands to tidy the shelves. Workers quit and take better jobs faster than you can say "frack".</p>
<p>Theron Amos, the manager of the local Pizza Hut, says he has lost a fifth of his staff--in the past week. "I have 20. I need 30," he sighs, as he wrestles with the cash register and passes the shrieking phone to a colleague. "Oh, man, I've got more grey hairs than when I started this job." Would Mr Amos turn any applicant away? "Well, one woman came in and ordered a pitcher of beer before the job interview. I didn't hire her."</p>
<h3>Sitting on a gold mine</h3>
<p>The locals in 19th-century California were not consulted about the gold rush. Many Native Americans, who in previous decades had reached accommodations with Spanish and Mexican settlers, were murdered or infected with unfamiliar diseases. Scorched-earth offensives starved them off their land: since hunting them down was too time-consuming, one white soldier wrote, "It was therefore decided that the best policy was to destroy their huts and stores, with a view of starving them out." Their descendants live in reservations. Williston's natives are faring rather better.</p>
<p>Because they can drill sideways, frackers can suck out the oil and gas under a huge farm while disturbing only a tiny part of it. So the farmer carries on rearing cows as before. The fracking takes place so far underground that he never notices it. But he notices the royalties that the energy firms pay.</p>
<p>"Most farms round here have mineral income," says Tom Rolfstad of the Williston Economic Development office. A farmer with two square miles of land will get a signing bonus of $2.5m and nearly 20% of the gross value of the oil and gas pumped from it, he estimates. A good well can keep producing for 30 years and yield 500,000 barrels of oil. At $100 a barrel, that's $10m for the farmer. Even small landowners benefit. Mr Rolfstad gets regular little cheques for the oil and gas extracted below his modest home.</p>
<p>Many of the ancestors of today's North Dakotans arrived at Ellis Island in the 19th century. "If you were Norwegian, they'd send you to North Dakota. If you didn't speak English, they'd give you a card round your neck asking people to help you find the right train," explains Mr Rolfstad. Under the Homestead Act of 1862, if the immigrants staked out 160 acres and farmed it for five years, they owned it--and their descendants own the mineral rights. In Europe, where such rights typically belong to the state, people resent the disruption fracking might cause. Americans, by contrast, tend to be delighted if a firm wants to frack under their land.</p>
<p>And for landowners, the fracking itself is not the only money-spinner. A farmer with land near Williston will have no trouble renting it out. The town is desperate for more offices, homes, shops and hotels. In one small field your correspondent counted 50 mobile homes.</p>
<p>One occupant, Cindy Martin, says the farmer charges her $1,000 a month to park there, with no electricity or water. "It's a terrible price," she complains. But the boom means labour is scarce and wages are high; Ms Martin makes twice as much as she would elsewhere, working at Bubba's Bubbles. She and her husband drove up 2,000 miles from Arizona. She seems content: "We came here to work. We refuse to lay back and let the government take care of us. We're too American for that."</p>
<p>For all their good fortune, some locals fret about the crowding, pollution and change that accompany the new wealth. "It was a quiet, small town," laments Gary Daniel, a middle-aged Willistonian, as he eats fried chicken at Gramma Sharon's family restaurant. He has seen oil booms before, "but not like this one." People used to know each other in Williston, he recalls: "Now everyone's in a hurry to go nowhere." Prices have soared. Mr Daniel knows of old people whose rent quadrupled so they had to leave their homes. "It's flat-out greed," he spits. The schools are packed; their walls are "just bulging out". The traffic is "insane". Overall, "whether it's good or bad, I haven't made my mind up."</p>
<p>Mr Rolfstad has fewer doubts. Growth is being carefully planned, he says. "We decided to double the size of the town. Then we decided to quadruple it."</p>
<h3>After the flood</h3>
<p>The gold rush of 1848-55 not only transformed the lives of those who found fortunes in the dirt (and those who failed to); it also changed America. It rapidly populated the new territory of California, which America had just seized from Mexico, and hastened the day that the Golden State became a state. It led to the construction of railroads to bind the settled eastern states to the Wild West. Its legacy includes San Francisco and America's thriving Chinese population (which exploded during the gold rush, as boatloads of Chinese prospectors arrived).</p>
<p>Brands, the historian, goes further, arguing that gold transformed the American dream. Whereas the Puritans dreamed of accumulating modest fortunes "a little at a time, year by year", through "sobriety, thrift and steady toil", the '49ers dreamed of "instant wealth, won in a twinkling by audacity and good luck". Among the early settlers, failure "connoted weakness of will or defect of soul". In the gold fields, by contrast, "a person was expected to gamble, and to fail, and to gamble again". And "[w]here failure was so common, it lost its stigma." This idea--that failure is a socially acceptable stepping stone to success--is one reason why American capitalism is so dynamic.</p>
<p>The fracking boom could be every bit as important as the gold rush. It is about to turn America into the world's largest oil and gas producer, outstripping Russia and Saudi Arabia. It could add almost $700 billion to the economy by 2020 (about 4% of GDP), predicts McKinsey, a consultancy. By then it will have created up to 1.7m jobs--far more than the car industry provides. The sudden abundance of natural gas has drastically reduced American energy bills while curbing greenhouse-gas emissions, since gas is cleaner than coal.</p>
<p>The longer term effects of a boom are unpredictable. For instance, the gold rush arguably led to the creation of Silicon Valley. It spurred the laying of the railroads, making Leland Stanford rich. He founded Stanford University, which trained the engineers who started the tech firms, from Hewlett-Packard to Google, which made the Valley the envy of the world.</p>
<p>In North Dakota fracking has poured money into schools. Some of those Norwegian immigrants used to set aside a portion of their farmland income to support the village school. That rule lives on, in places, and the land now generates mineral royalties. No one expects to see a great university emerge in the Great Plains just yet. But you never know. Who in 1849 could have predicted that the empty hills around San Francisco would one day sprout an Apple?</p>
<p>Life in the gold fields was often violent. Miners drank and gambled and fought</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The lure is not a slender chance of becoming rich, but the near-certainty of finding a blue-collar job that pays middle-class wages</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Click <a href="https://subscriptions.economist.com/nwcd">here</a> to subscribe to The Economist</p>
<p></p>

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