The incidents of iPhone theft in London are no longer limited to just theft. After stealing the phones, thieves have now started openly threatening the owners and their families. Recently a shocking incident has come to light. Pikula, a 37-year-old woman from Chicago, went to visit London in May 2024. As soon as he came out of the theatre, a miscreant riding an e-bike snatched the iPhone from his hand. A few days after the phone was stolen, his 65-year-old mother started receiving strange messages in China.

The thief sent a video and threatened that if the Apple ID was not removed, his son would be harmed. Out of fear the mother finally deleted the Apple ID.

Why do thieves give threats?

Apple has created Activation Lock and Find My feature for the security of iPhone. When an iPhone is stolen, the thief cannot use the phone or sell it at a good price without removing the owner’s Apple ID.

It is very difficult to delete an Apple ID because:

• For this, the original password and two-step verification (2FA) is necessary.
• If you forget your password, the recovery process is long and complicated.
• Apple does not delete IDs without owner confirmation.

Thieves put pressure on the victim or their family to get the phone unlocked. They post violent videos, threats to kill and harm the family.

What happens if Apple ID doesn’t get removed?

1. The phone remains in Activation Lock.
2. The thief can neither use the phone nor setup it with a new account.
3. The phone becomes useless and the thief suffers financial loss.
4. That’s why thieves harass the owner.

Security measures:

1. Always keep Find My iPhone on.
2. Use strong passwords and 2FA.
3. Report theft to Apple immediately and lock the phone remotely.

These incidents not only show the strength of iPhone security, but also warn of new dangerous methods of thieves. London Police is taking this growing problem seriously.