Apple Under Fire as Met Police Allege Failure to Halt Stolen iPhone Trade Ins

The Metropolitan Police has openly criticised Apple for what it describes as ongoing negligence in curbing the trade-in of stolen iPhones, as London faces a sharp uptick in mobile phone thefts. Apple’s policy allows customers to receive as much as £670 off a new iPhone by trading in their old handset. However, the Met claims the technology giant does not robustly monitor the National Mobile Phone Register—a tool specifically designed to identify stolen devices—when accepting phones for trade-in.

The Met Police asserted that while Apple accesses the National Mobile Phone Register daily to check the network status of trade-in devices, it fails to check for reported theft or take any further action. This gap, according to police officials, leaves an open channel for stolen handsets to be laundered through legitimate channels and reintroduced into the market.

Policing authorities highlighted the broader impact on Londoners and the insurance industry, with losses from stolen phones in 2024 estimated at £50 million. More than 80,000 mobiles were taken last year, a significant increase from the 64,000 reported in the prior twelve months. Police analysis suggests three quarters of these stolen devices are shipped abroad, notably to China, Hong Kong, and Algeria, with many stripped for components before resale.

Apple has responded by pointing to recent security enhancements, including a stolen device protection feature that prevents thieves from wiping a handset even if they obtain its passcode, and a lock that permanently ties the iPhone to the owner’s Apple account. Company officials have also indicated that they are exploring the possibility of blocking devices by IMEI number once reported stolen, though this raises concerns about potential abuse by individuals making fraudulent theft claims.

Mobile operators have voiced their own frustrations, accusing Apple of undermining anti-theft efforts by refusing to ‘brick’ devices stolen directly from retail stores. The situation has drawn parliamentary attention, with MPs challenging the approach of major handset manufacturers including Apple, Google, and Samsung. Links between mobile theft, violent crime, and organised gangs have come to the surface, as some criminal networks switch from narcotics to lucrative phone theft operations.

According to a recent Neighbourhood Watch survey, thefts are often carried out brazenly, with 28 per cent snatched from a person’s hand, pocket or bag, and another quarter deftly pickpocketed. About 22 per cent of mobile thefts occur when devices are left unattended, with the majority happening during afternoons and evenings.