Met and Apple harden iPhones, London phone thefts fall

The Metropolitan Police and Apple have agreed to strengthen iPhone anti-theft protections and to exchange identifiers for devices reported stolen. Apple updated Stolen Device Protection in iOS 26.4 so biometric confirmation is required for critical security changes and factory resets, rather than relying only on a passcode or an unlocked phone.

Under the arrangement, the Met sends lists of device identifiers for phones reported stolen. Apple can then notify police if those devices later try to connect to a network or are reactivated, supplying information about when and where reactivation attempts occur.

The Met reports about 200 phones are stolen in London each day. Since the new measures began, recorded phone thefts in the capital fell 18% year-on-year, with Westminster — the borough most affected by phone crime — down 45.8%.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley described Apple as having ‘cracked’ the engineering problem. The force has written to the Home Secretary requesting laws that would require all phone manufacturers and mobile operators to share stolen-device information and to adopt measures that render reported handsets unusable. Officials say Samsung and Google are also improving device security.

Police officials say the technical changes and the data exchange give clearer evidence about whether stolen phones are being switched on locally, shipped overseas, or dismantled for parts. Apple’s signals do not provide continuous location traces but can show that a specific device attempted to reconnect in a particular country at a particular time.

Privacy and practical concerns remain. Officials indicate the exchange is limited to device identifiers and high-level reactivation signals rather than contacts, message content or full location histories. Privacy advocates and police officials call for strict controls on who can access the data and how long it is retained.

There is a risk of false reports. If a phone is incorrectly flagged as stolen, the owner could be prevented from using it. Repair shops, recyclers and refurbishers may face extra steps to diagnose and restore devices if anti-theft safeguards become more restrictive.

Police and consumer security experts recommend that users enable biometric security, use a strong account password and activate tracking services such as Find My. Buyers of used phones are advised to purchase from reputable sellers, confirm the device has been reset by the owner, and complete setup with the seller present to ensure the handset is not locked to another account.