How a stolen iPhone exposed UK's biggest phone theft ring
What's the story
A single stolen iPhone has led to the unearthing of one of the largest mobile theft operations in the UK. The case began when a person used Apple's tracking system to locate their missing phone. This led authorities to a network allegedly involved in smuggling tens of thousands of stolen iPhones from London to Hong Kong.
Operation scale
18 people arrested, over 2,000 stolen devices recovered
The scale of this operation is staggering, with nearly 40,000 stolen phones worth millions of pounds being moved over the past year. The latest iPhone models were allegedly sold in Hong Kong for as much as £3,700 each. So far, police have arrested 18 people and recovered more than 2,000 stolen devices.
Initial lead
Operation kickstarted when a stolen phone was tracked to warehouse
The case took an unusual turn when a stolen phone was tracked to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport on Christmas Eve last year. A security check of the shipment revealed nearly 900 phones, most of them stolen. This discovery triggered a wider investigation and helped police connect the dots across multiple shipments, leading to uncovering this massive smuggling operation.
Arrests made
Police recover boxes of phones wrapped in foil
Raids on suspects' homes and vehicles revealed more of the gang's methods. Cops found boxes of phones wrapped in foil, likely to block the tracking signals. Dramatic arrest scenes were captured on bodycams, showing the police pulling over cars and drawing tasers. Follow-up searches had recovered thousands more stolen devices. Just last week, 15 more people including many women and a Bulgarian national were arrested with additional phones seized.
Rising cases
London continues to be the epicenter of phone theft
London continues to be the epicenter of phone theft in the UK, with cases rising sharply from around 28,000 in 2020 to over 80,000 this year. Mayor Sadiq Khan called this operation a "milestone" in tackling organized crime. He praised the cops for going after both street-level thieves and the international smuggling ring behind them.