London's new crime trend — thieves return phones they don't want

London burglars are becoming more selective about which phones they steal and are increasingly turning away from Android smartphones, particularly those made by Samsung. According to testimonies from citizens and experts, thieves primarily target iPhones because they fetch a higher price on the black market and the legal secondary market.

This was reported by London Centric.

How London thieves "reject" Samsung smartphones

Sam, age 32, was walking down a London street when eight men blocked his path. They pushed and hit him while demanding that he hand over all his belongings. As the robbers were running away, one of them turned around and handed Sam his Android smartphone back. He briefly explained his motivation: "I don't want a Samsung".

Another Londoner, Mark, had a similar experience. He was sitting at work when a young man on an electric bicycle came up behind him at high speed and snatched his Samsung Galaxy from his hands. The thief stopped, looked at the phone, threw it on the sidewalk, and rode off.

Why thieves are betting on iPhones

The British smartphone market is roughly split in half. About half of users have iPhones, while the other half have various cheaper Android models. If the attacks were completely random, the number of stolen iPhones and Android devices should be approximately equal.

However, available data, expert opinion, and the experiences of Londoners suggest otherwise. A clear "pro-iPhone bias" has formed among thieves in the capital.

Experts explain that the reason is not security, but money: iPhones consistently sell for higher prices on the secondary market. Therefore, according to experts, it is more profitable for robbers to target Apple smartphones than cheaper Android models.

At the same time, modern iPhones and Androids have comparable security features, so it's inaccurate to claim that iPhones are easier to hack. Criminals are really interested in the potential revenue from the sale.

Although the London police have recently become more active in hunting down organized groups that specialize in phone theft, law enforcement officials do not provide exact figures on the ratio of stolen iPhones to Androids. They know that thieves often throw away older models with low market value to avoid criminal charges for a "cheap trophy."

A Londoner was walking down the street when a stranger caught his attention from the opposite side of the road. The man ran across the street ostentatiously, as if he had met an old acquaintance, and struck up a conversation.

Later, he asked Simon if he had Spotify. He decided that Simon was a local musician who wanted to showcase or sell his track in a street marketing format. A teenager stood nearby, silently watching the scene unfold.

Simon pulled out his smartphone to open the app. As soon as the stranger saw that it was a Samsung Galaxy, however, all enthusiasm instantly disappeared. The man simply turned around and walked away, and his young companion followed. Only then did Simon realize that he had just escaped a robbery — and that he had escaped because he was using an Android.

It seems that it is safer to move around London with an Android smartphone, especially a Samsung, in your pocket.

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