More than 80000 iPhones stolen in this city, police accuse Apple of…

London is experiencing a surge in phone thefts, with 80,000 incidents reported in 2024.

A city is facing what authorities are calling an “epidemic of phone thefts,” with the Metropolitan Police Service (Met Police) accusing Apple of turning a blind eye to a national database meant to stop the trade-in of stolen iPhones.

London faces a surge in phone thefts, with over 80,000 reported in 2024. (Bloomberg)

According to The Telegraph, the police department has informed Members of Parliament (MPs) that Apple “already has access to NMPR and uses it daily to check the network status of trade-in devices, but does not check for theft or take action.” The claim suggests that thieves are exploiting Apple’s trade-in programme to receive credit for stolen devices.

How thieves exploit Apple’s trade-in system

The National Mobile Property Register (NMPR) is a UK-wide database used by law enforcement to identify and return stolen devices. Police allege that Apple isn’t using this register to verify trade-ins, effectively allowing stolen iPhones to re-enter circulation.

Apple’s trade-in scheme offers users up to £670 in credit toward a new iPhone when they exchange their old one. Without proper theft checks, stolen devices can reportedly be accepted into this system, cleaned up and resold or refurbished.

The scale of theft is staggering. In 2024 alone, more than 80,000 phones were reported stolen in London, up from 64,000 in 2023. The Met Police estimates the replacement cost at £50 million, with over 75% of stolen phones believed to end up abroad, often dismantled for parts.

Apple’s response: stronger software, cautious policing

Apple has defended its anti-theft measures, citing new features such as Stolen Device Protection, which prevents criminals from wiping or reselling phones without the owner’s credentials. The company is also exploring the idea of blocking stolen iPhones using their IMEI numbers, though it warns this could be misused by individuals filing false theft reports.

Apple also pushed back on the Met’s criticism, suggesting that law enforcement needs to “continue traditional policing” by following up on theft reports and sending official requests to Apple for device verification.

A growing concern for iPhone users

With nearly 80% of smartphones reported stolen in London being iPhones, the tension between Apple and the Met Police highlights a wider problem, the lucrative global market for stolen tech. As both sides trade blame, users remain the biggest victims in an increasingly sophisticated phone theft ecosystem.