Bears iPad among items stolen from first-round pick Roquan Smith's car

Bears iPad among items stolen from first-round pick Roquan Smith’s car

By Patrick Finley

Roquan Smith of Georgia poses with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. | Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Bears linebacker Roquan Smith learned an important rookie lesson the hard way: Don’t leave your team-issued iPad unattended.

The first-round pick’s iPad, which serves as the Bears’ de facto playbook, was stolen out of his 2018 BMW X5 this past weekend in Athens, Georgia. The Bears responded quickly. When the team learned of the theft, it was able to wipe the missing iPad clean of all playbook information.

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According to Athens-Clarke County Police Department public-information officer Epifanio Rodriguez, Smith called the police at 11:45 a.m. Saturday to report items stolen from his car, ranging from the iPad to watches to jerseys from the biggest games of his career.

His car had been parked at an apartment complex since 5 p.m. Friday. No damage was reported to the car, Rodriguez said, indicating that Smith might have left it unlocked.

Athens is the home of the University of Georgia, where Smith starred.

Among the items taken from Smith’s car: four pairs of Bose headphones, Bluetooth speakers, a Kyboe watch, a Michael Kors watch, Nike shoes and Smith’s Georgia helmet. Three Bulldogs jerseys also were taken — ones worn during the regular season, the Rose Bowl and the national tittle game. Smith had a sack and 2½ tackles for loss in a 26-23 overtime loss to Alabama in the championship game.

Officers were able to collect fingerprints from the car, Rodriguez said Monday, and the case remains open.

Smith will be at Halas Hall on Friday for the start of the Bears’ rookie minicamp, which runs three days and leads into the start of the team’s organized-team-activity practices next week.

The No. 8 overall pick was the highest linebacker drafted by the Bears in 44 years, when the team selected Waymond Bryant fourth. Smith, 21, figures to challenge for a starting inside-linebacker job alongside veteran Danny Trevathan.

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