A new investigation has revealed where thousands of stolen iPhones end up in the UK and it appears to point to a specific route.
Every year, dozens of iPhones are stolen on British streets with thieves grabbing the devices from people’s hands and pockets.
The smartphones are then likely to be lost forever, as it is extremely difficult to recover a stolen iPhone.
The high demand for second-hand iPhones is believed to be driving the increased volume of thefts, with the phones commonly being stolen from people on the streets, bars and restaurants.
These iPhones will most likely end up in the same place; electronic markets located in China.
An investigation by The Sunday Times has revealed that these devices are being sent by criminal gangs to China, where they are then unlocked and resold or dismantled and sold piecemeal to recycling plants or markets.
Many UK iPhones sent to China end up in Huaqiangbei, the investigation found.
The location is home to active electronics markets and is not far from Hong Kong, making it a perfect location for international and domestic trade.
An investigation has revealed where many stolen phones end up. (Getty Stock Photo)
Many UK iPhones are ending up at the same market located on Huafa South Road in Shenzhen, southern China, where the latest phones are traded to local buyers for between £65 and £750.
The markets are filled with dozens of stalls selling mobile phones, most of which are second-hand.
One dealer posted on BiliBili – China’s version of YouTube – that he delivers up to 500 phones at a time and is the dealer of one million phones from ‘first-hand sources’.
After stolen phones arrive in China, UK theft victims are often sent threats via text message asking them to delete the stolen device from their Apple account via the Find My app.
If the person does this, then the phone can be resold and assigned to a new user.
Dozens of iPhones are stolen every year in the UK. (Getty Stock Photo)
A global security analyst at Bitdefender, in Bucharest, has discovered that it is better not to obey or respond to threats.
When an iPhone is marked as lost in the Find My app, the device is then locked with all passcodes and payment cards suspended, making it impossible for thieves to access your data.
The expert told The Sunday Times: “They go to Shenzhen because it has one of the biggest second-hand markets on the planet and they have people with the expertise to dismantle and ship the equipment and parts all over the world.
“But China is the last place thieves want to send them to.” Criminals will always try to sell them in the UK first, or get the victim to unlock them there either through a phishing attack or threats, because they will make more money.”
Featured image credit: Getty Stock Images
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