Picture this: You’re strolling down a moderately busy street during the day on your way to dinner, using your brand-new iPhone 16 Pro for navigation. Suddenly, an individual in a mask on an e-bike zips by, snatching your Desert Titanium and speeding away in seconds. While this might seem like an exaggerated scenario, it actually happened to Dimitar Stanimiroff last week in London, and he’s far from the only victim.
Current statistics indicate that, on average, a phone is stolen in London every 6 minutes, totaling around 64,000 thefts annually. This occurrence has become so prevalent that the City of London Police have initiated special task forces to target these gangs and even published guidance on how to safeguard your mobile device in public effectively.
Throughout the years, Apple has made significant advancements in implementing anti-theft features such as Activation Lock and unintentional “parts pairing” rules. These functionalities are designed to deter thieves and reduce incidents like the one experienced by Stanimiroff. But is it sufficient?
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After the incident, Stanimiroff took to LinkedIn to recount his experience. Despite the distressing ordeal and the apparent loss of his high-priced phone, the police officer he reported the case to remarked that he “got lucky.” She informed him that these criminals frequently attempt to run over people to grab their phones, and many victims are not able to evade an e-bike going up to 70 mph!
Stanimiroff was able to track his iPhone 16 Pro to various locations using Find My before it ceased to report its position. Regrettably, when he provided the location information to the officer, she mentioned that due to the frequency of such crimes, their resources were stretched thin, and they often close cases the same day they are reported.
Introduced with iOS 7 in 2013, Apple’s Activation Lock prevents any unauthorized attempt to wipe data from an iPhone without the original owner’s Apple ID and password. This significantly reduced the appeal of Apple devices to thieves, as they could no longer profit by reselling fully functioning phones at local pawn shops, eBay, or Craigslist, leading them to shift towards a less lucrative parts market.
For years, the black market trade of iPhone parts operated without much disruption. However, in 2018, Apple began to link the serial number of an iPhone X’s battery to its corresponding device serial number, a process referred to as “parts pairing.” Unauthorized repair shops started to experience service warnings if a battery was replaced outside of Apple’s official service. By the time the iPhone 12 was released, this practice expanded to other components like screens, cameras, and Face ID sensors.
This situation ignited significant controversy regarding DIY repairs. Despite Apple’s rigorous efforts to resist and lobby against legislation, states like Oregon and Colorado enacted Right to Repair laws that outright bans parts pairing. This legislation took effect on January 1, 2025, though it remains permissible in the UK as of now.
It’s impossible to track the fate of every stolen device. However, recent police operations indicate that most stolen phones don’t remain in London, and many are exported overseas, particularly to Shenzhen, China—the very place where many are manufactured. If criminals cannot bypass any of the security measures on the iPhones to wipe them, they are often disassembled for parts and sold to resellers or recycling plants.
Apple’s stringent control over iPhone repairs has created a bit of a paradox. As new Right to Repair laws arise in states such as Oregon and Colorado, the legitimacy of Apple’s parts pairing policy appears increasingly precarious. Should more states and the EU push against this policy in favor of DIY repairs, it will be intriguing to observe how this influences the current situation.
Further Insights on Apple Security
Apps have been selling location data to U.S. military and intelligence personnel stationed abroad.
iOS 18.3.1 and iPadOS 18.3.1 address a specific security vulnerability.
Android users wanting TikTok might want to consider mimicking iPhone users.
Security Bite: Techniques used by hackers to commandeer your Mac via Bluetooth.
The British government has covertly directed Apple to develop a global iCloud backdoor.
Malicious iPhone apps discovered on the App Store have been found to extract sensitive data from your screenshots.
