Imagine walking down a bustling London street, only to have your iPhone snatched from your hand in a flash. It’s a nightmare scenario that’s becoming all too common, with over 80,000 iPhones stolen in London last year alone. But here’s where it gets controversial: the Metropolitan Police (Met Police) claim Apple isn’t doing enough to stop these stolen devices from re-entering the market. Are tech giants like Apple turning a blind eye to a growing crisis?
The Met Police have pointed fingers at Apple for allegedly neglecting the National Mobile Phone Register (NMPR), a database designed to reunite stolen phones with their rightful owners. According to The Telegraph, the police have told UK Members of Parliament (MPs) that Apple, despite having access to the NMPR, fails to use it to check if traded-in devices are stolen. This oversight, the police argue, allows thieves to trade in stolen iPhones for credit toward new devices, fueling what they call an ‘epidemic of phone thefts’ in the city.
But is Apple really the villain here? The company has defended itself by highlighting its anti-theft measures, such as a stolen device protection feature that prevents phones from being wiped even if the thief knows the passcode. They’ve also introduced settings that lock iPhones to the original owner’s Apple account. Additionally, Apple is considering blocking the use of a phone’s IMEI number (a unique identifier) once it’s reported stolen. However, they caution that this could be exploited by individuals filing false theft reports—a valid concern, but is it enough to justify inaction?
The scale of the problem is staggering. Last year, over 80,000 phones were reported stolen in London, up from 64,000 in 2023. The Met Police estimate that replacing these devices cost users and insurers a whopping £50 million in 2024. Worse, more than three-quarters of these stolen phones are believed to end up abroad, often dismantled for parts. For instance, 28% of these devices reportedly reach China or Hong Kong, while many others land in Algeria.
And this is the part most people miss: Mobile networks have accused Apple of ‘undermining’ efforts to curb phone thefts by refusing to ‘brick’ (permanently disable) devices stolen from retail stores. With iPhones making up around 80% of smartphones reported stolen to the Met Police, the focus naturally falls on Apple. Yet, the company has countered by claiming the Met Police aren’t fully investigating these thefts. In June, Apple executive Gary Davis told UK MPs, ‘We are not seeing [the Met Police] sending requests to us for stolen devices.’
So, who’s really to blame? Is it Apple for not doing enough to prevent stolen devices from re-entering the market, or the police for not pursuing these cases aggressively? What do you think? Should tech companies like Apple take more responsibility, or is this a problem that requires a broader, systemic solution? Let’s spark a conversation—share your thoughts in the comments below!
