Apple Sends Warning to Looters in Possession of Stolen iPhones That They are Being Tracked

Apple has been taking action against looters upon the ongoing protests and riots across the US this past week. As peaceful protests regarding George Floyd’s murder continue, riots have also, unfortunately, erupted across the country. Apple Stores have been hit on numerous occasions, with looters making off with iPhones and other devices.

To dissuade the thefts, Apple has begun sending warning messages to stolen iPhones, signalling to the thief that they are being tracked. According to Forbes, these messages have been caught on camera and posted on social media. The warning works off a proximity software that disables a device stolen from an Apple Store. Based on a Twitter post from user @Onlyfanobtainer, the warning reads: “This device has been disabled and is being tracked”. It also states that “local authorities will be alerted” and to return the iPhone to the Apple Store.

These warnings will appear once the stolen device is powered on. All other functions of the iPhone have been disabled, rendering the device useless to thieves. However, it’s very likely that the stolen phones will be used for parts or thrown away after the looter receives the message.

Numerous Apple Stores have been looted over the past weekend. Over the weekend, Apple Store locations in Washington, San Fransisco, Los Angeles, Philidelphia, and Portland were looted.

Apple CEO Tim Cook recently wrote an internal memo to Apple employees, offering free resources and announcing the company will be donating to non-profit organizations. After reopening many retail locations, Apple had shuttering a number of Apple Stores to ensure the safety of its employees and customers. It appears as though the company will be keeping a close eye on the climate and determining the best course of action in regards to reopening once again.

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