How One Missing iPhone Sparked A Hunt For London’s 40,000 Stolen Phones

Last Updated:October 07, 2025, 20:08 IST

A missing iPhone led UK police to dismantle a gang smuggling up to 40,000 stolen phones from London to China.

The investigation began almost by accident- with a victim who refused to give up on their stolen iPhone.

A single missing iPhone led to the dismantling of UK’s largest-ever phone theft network- a criminal gang suspected of smuggling up to 40,000 stolen devices from Britain to China. In a sweeping operation, the police raided 28 properties across London and Hertfordshire, arresting 18 suspects and seizing more than 2,000 stolen phones. Officers believe the gang could be responsible for half of all mobile thefts in London, where three-quarters of the UK’s stolen phones are taken.

Christmas Eve Discovery

The investigation began almost by accident- with a victim who refused to give up on their stolen iPhone. The police said, “It was actually on Christmas Eve. A victim electronically tracked their stolen iPhone to a warehouse near Heathrow Airport."

Security guards at the warehouse agreed to check and what they found stunned police: the phone was inside a cardboard box containing another 894 devices, most still in transit packaging. Almost all had been reported stolen. Officers soon discovered the shipment was bound for Hong Kong and subsequent searches uncovered multiple other consignments ready to be shipped overseas.

From Heathrow To A Global Network

Forensic work on the seized packages led investigators to two Afghan nationals in their 30s. Police bodycam footage later captured the moment they were intercepted mid-road in a dramatic sting operation- unmarked police cars boxing in their vehicle as officers drew Tasers.

Inside, police found dozens of phones wrapped in aluminium foil- a trick used to block tracking signals. The men were arrested and charged with conspiring to receive stolen goods and conspiring to conceal or remove criminal property. A third suspect, a 29-year-old Indian national, was later charged with the same offences.

Police said, “Finding that original shipment was the starting point. It uncovered an international smuggling gang that we believe could be responsible for exporting up to 40% of all the phones stolen in London."

Raids, Arrests And Recovery

The police then widened their net- arresting 15 more suspects, mostly women, during early morning raids. About 30 additional phones were recovered. Investigators said that the gang had a clear structure: street thieves and moped snatchers targeted victims in London’s tourist hotspots, selling the devices to handlers who organised shipments to Asia.

According to police, the gang paid up to £300 per iPhone on UK streets, reselling them for as much as £4,000 each in China, where internet-enabled devices are highly sought after for their ability to bypass censorship restrictions.

The bust comes amid a surge in mobile theft in London where official data shows 80,588 phones were stolen in 2024, nearly three times the number in 2020. Nationwide, “theft from the person" rose 15% in the year ending March 2025- the highest level in over two decades.

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