Stolen iPhones During Looting Tacked In The United States

The confusing situation in many cities in the United States is currently used by criminals who want to enrich themselves with looting. But this also gives the world a look at one of the theft protection functions in iPhones that were hardly known before.

So far, the corresponding functionality of those Apple smartphones that were already owned by a customer is known. If these are stolen, the owner can remotely access various options to make life difficult for the thief or to provide a more honest finder with information for the return. But there are also safety functions in devices that have not yet been officially sold, as is now being shown.

Corresponding images have meanwhile appeared on various social media platforms, which were posted by people who, due to unspecified circumstances, got hold of iPhones from looted Apple stores. These cannot be activated. Instead, they present a message after which the device has been deactivated, its location determined and handed over to the local authorities.

Stores are closed again

Apple stores were at the top of the list for the looting – after all, great values ​​can be taken away very quickly – at least if you evaluate the loot based on the store price. With its security functions, however, Apple ensures that such actions are simply not worthwhile, because the resale value of stolen devices drops rapidly due to the blocking. In the best case, spare parts in the form of displays or batteries can be cannibalized.

However, the protection software that is now visible does not always seem to be active. It is conceivable that Apple can activate the corresponding function if larger amounts of devices are stolen. The serial number can then be used to compare whether a smartphone was regularly purchased or not. The company also reacted to the looting by closing numerous branches that have just returned from the Corona break. In order not to provoke burglaries, all the displays were cleared and the goods were stored elsewhere.