Kathrine Frich
Many phones taken from streets around the world appear to land in the same tower.
Many phones taken from streets in London, Manchester, New York. even parks and nightclubs, appear to land in the same tower.
Tracked across the world… to one building
If your iPhone’s ever been stolen, there’s a surprising chance it’s ended up in the exact same place as thousands of others: a mysterious building in Shenzhen, China.
One victim even tracked his stolen iPhone 15 Pro on a 6,000-mile journey to the now-infamous spot.
The ‘stolen iPhone building’ is real
Known locally as a phone repair and upgrade hub, this building has gained a global reputation as the final destination for snatched devices.
Many phones taken from streets in London, Manchester, New York. even parks and nightclubs, appear to land in the same tower.
Why thieves still want your locked iPhone
Even if your iPhone is locked, it’s still valuable. Thieves can strip it for parts or try to resell its components.
Some even resort to scams and blackmail attempts, like the one sent to a recent victim: threatening to hack his data unless he removed the phone from Apple’s “lost” mode.
A shady message designed to scare you
The blackmail text claimed: “We’re not the thieves. We recycle phones. But if you don’t remove your phone, someone else might hack your credit cards or contact your family.”
It’s nonsense, but for anyone unfamiliar with Apple’s encryption, it can be frightening.
Can your stolen iPhone be used against you?
The truth: a locked iPhone is incredibly hard to access. Your data is safe, even if the phone is halfway across the globe.
But that doesn’t stop scammers from trying to manipulate victims into unlocking it.
Phone theft is soaring worldwide
With cities like London named the “phone snatching capital of Europe,” and brazen thefts on the rise globally, your chances of losing a device have never been higher, and so are the odds that it ends up in Shenzhen.