A new investigation has revealed a concerning trend: a large portion of iPhones stolen in the UK end up in the same place. Each year, countless iPhones are snatched from unsuspecting victims on British streets, bars, and restaurants. Recovering these stolen devices is often difficult, if not impossible, due to the sophisticated black market they’re fed into.
The high demand for second-hand iPhones is believed to be a major factor driving this rise in thefts. Criminal gangs are shipping these stolen devices to China, where they are either unlocked and resold whole, or dismantled and sold for parts in recycling plants or electronics markets.
## Huaqiangbei: A Hub for Stolen Electronics
The investigation, conducted by The Sunday Times, identified Huaqiangbei in Shenzhen, southern China, as a prime destination for these stolen iPhones. This bustling electronics market, known for its international and domestic trade, is a haven for those dealing in secondhand devices. Many stolen UK iPhones end up at stalls on Huafa South Road, where they are sold to domestic buyers for prices ranging from £65 to £750.
One trader, boasting on Bilibili (the Chinese equivalent of YouTube), claimed to deliver up to 500 phones at a time and hold a stock of over a million “first-hand” devices. However, the legitimacy of such claims is highly questionable.
## Threats and Deception: Tactics of Phone Thieves
Upon reaching China, victims in the UK are often targeted with threatening text messages. These messages typically demand the removal of the stolen device from their Apple account using the Find My app. Complying with these threats allows the thieves to resell the phone and assign it to a new user.
**Security Tips for iPhone Users**
Experts advise against responding to these threats. Marking an iPhone as lost on Find My effectively renders it useless to thieves by locking the device and suspending all passcodes and payment methods.
A global security analyst at Bitdefender, Bucharest, explained the logic behind the chosen destination: “Shenzhen boasts one of the world’s largest second-hand markets. Additionally, the expertise exists there to dismantle these devices and distribute the parts globally. However, China is not necessarily the first target for these criminals. They often attempt to sell the phones back in the UK, or coerce victims into unlocking them through phishing attacks or threats, as this allows them to command a higher price.”
