Fights have broken out at the Pasadena Apple store leading to at least two arrests Friday morning as hundreds lined up in anticipation of the new iPhone 5S and 5C release.

Police arrested George Westbrook, 23, of Compton and Lamar Mitchell, 43, of Pasadena for fighting in line outside of the store, Pasadena Police Lt. Jason Clawson said.

The store hired two Pasadena police officers to keep control of the crowd, he said.

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About 9 a.m., another scuffle was breaking out as one man left the store with multiple phones, Clawson said. People whom the man hired to stand in line for him began fighting with him because they said they weren’t being paid enough, Clawson said.

Clawson estimated at least 200 people were outside of the store Friday morning waiting for it to open.

The newest edition of Apple’s iconic phone is being released in various colors, including gold. Consumers also have the option of buying the less-expensive iPhone 5c with a plastic case. For the first time ever, the phones are being released in China on the same day they were made available everywhere else.

As in past iPhone releases, it appears some people are paying others to wait in line to buy iPhones so they can be resold later for a profit.


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joseph.serna@latimes.com

@josephserna