Smartphone theft is a massive problem, but a new partnership aims to change that. London police are now actively working with Apple to track down stolen iPhone models and figure out how criminals sell them. By sharing specific device information, both sides hope to make stolen handsets completely useless, which should naturally discourage thieves from snatching these devices in the first place.
New software updates stop thieves from resetting stolen devices
The head of the Metropolitan Police recently explained how the two groups are sharing data to track what happens after a phone goes missing. In the past, criminals used illegal software to factory reset a stolen device, bypassing any security locks. This allowed them to easily resell the hardware in other countries as if it were completely new.
Thanks to the shared information, the tech giant figured out how to block this illegal resetting software. When you mark a device as lost through iCloud, the system locks it down completely. The police commissioner stated that the vast majority of phones stolen recently in London are no longer being factory reset. If criminals cannot reactivate the phone, its street value drops to zero.
This data partnership pairs perfectly with increased police action on the streets. Officers are now cracking down on thieves who use electric bikes to snatch phones directly out of people’s hands. The combined effort is clearly working.
Over the past year, the number of phone thefts dropped by eighteen percent, with some busy central areas seeing a forty-five percent reduction in stolen devices.
