Why thieves may think twice before stealing an iPhone:Apple’s new ‘kill switch’ could make it impossible to resell the devices

Imagine stealing an iPhone only to discover that you can’t unlock it, reset it, or sell it for a good price. That’s exactly what Apple is trying to achieve with its latest security upgrades. The company has strengthened its anti-theft protections, making it much harder for criminals to reuse or resell stolen iPhones. According to London police, the changes are already making a difference, with fewer stolen devices successfully reactivated. Apple and police are working together Apple has reportedly started sharing data with London’s Metropolitan Police to understand better what happens to iPhones after they are stolen. The goal is simple: track whether stolen devices are being reactivated and identify new ways to make them less useful to criminals. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley said early findings suggest that far fewer stolen iPhones are being brought back to life compared to just a few months ago. If stolen phones cannot be reactivated, their value collapses, and so does the incentive to steal them.
According to Rowley, Apple believes it has fixed a major loophole that previously allowed thieves to factory reset stolen iPhones and sell them as fully working devices, often in overseas markets. Why stolen phones are a big business Smartphone theft remains a major problem in many cities around the world. Criminals often steal premium devices and ship them abroad, where they can be reset and sold for a profit.
But if a stolen iPhone cannot be unlocked or activated again, its resale value drops sharply. This means thieves have less financial incentive to target smartphones in the first place. The Metropolitan Police says mobile phone thefts fell by 18 percent between June 2025 and May 2026 compared with the previous year. While increased policing has helped, authorities believe stronger smartphone security is also playing an important role. Also read: SpaceX’s relentless launch pace continues: With a ‘Falcon 9’ booster attempting a record-setting 27th flight from California

What is Apple’s Stolen Device Protection? A key reason behind the change is Apple’s Stolen Device Protection feature, which is now enabled by default in iOS 26.4. The feature adds extra layers of security whenever an iPhone is away from trusted places such as the owner’s home or workplace. This makes it much harder for someone who has stolen the device to quickly take control of it. What thieves can no longer do easily When Stolen Device Protection is active, Apple places additional security checks on important actions, including: In many cases, users must pass extra authentication checks and wait through security delays before these actions can be completed. Also read: Smartphone POVA 8 with matrix display launched in India: Starting price of ₹29,999; boasts of 50MP camera 8,000mAh battery

More time for owners to secure their phones The biggest advantage of the feature is that it gives owners valuable time to react. If an iPhone is stolen, the owner can use another device to mark it as lost, secure their Apple account, and track the handset before a thief gets the chance to wipe it.