$10,000 Apple iPad prototype was 'most likely stolen'

$10,000 Apple iPad prototype was 'most likely stolen'

An Apple iPad prototype, which brought $10,000 on eBay, had less than desirable provenance

A prototype of the world's favourite gadget, the Apple iPad, sold for $10,000 in an eBay sale on May 28, despite controversy over its origin.

Apple iPad prototype working  Apple has a reputation for keeping its prototypes under wraps

The prototype, which features two dock connectors, was "most likely stolen" according to the seller, who revealed all in an interview with technology website Wired.co.uk."I don't know if it was stolen from Apple, or if the person who was working with it kept it," said the seller, who wishes to remain anonymous, adding: "Judging by how Apple works, it's most likely stolen, but I'm not sure about that."Apple is renowned for reclaiming its prototypes from those who attempt to sell them online. Another eBay auction of a MacBook Pro, featuring a 3G antenna, was closed down by Apple, who forcedthe seller to return the hardware. Another iPhone 4 prototype was sold, but resulted in criminal charges being brought against the buyer. The seller told Wired he purchased the prototype from a co-worker and is not sure how his colleague came to possess it. He did, however, tell the publication: "It has identifying marks that describe which prototype it is, and those are the numbers that I've obscured on the auction. With that you can track down who was using the iPad."The sale comes ahead of a Sotheby's auction on June 15, where one of just six working Apple-1s will sell with a high estimate of $180,000. It appears that the emerging market for Apple collectibles is gathering pace following the death of the company's founder Steve Jobs in October 2011. Never miss out on an auction opportunity again, with Paul Fraser Collectibles' free iPhone app.

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