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Do thieves really give Android phones back? One widely reported London anecdote says a robber returned a victim’s Android phone after checking its brand. It is not evidence of a general pattern. Separate London evidence says Apple devices made up 80% of devices reported stolen in the data described—but that is not an ownership-adjusted comparison of iPhone and Android theft risk.

Why do phone thieves want iPhones?

The most plausible explanation offered in the reporting is resale value and demand: a cybersecurity advisor suggested that a thief might prefer an iPhone because it could be easier or more profitable to sell. That is a proposed motive, not a verified explanation for individual thefts or for London’s reported figures. A phone’s model, condition, location and resale channel may matter too, but the available evidence does not measure their independent effects.

A syndicated report published on 24 November 2025, attributing its account to London Centric, describes a victim named Sam saying a thief returned his Android phone after seeing it was not an iPhone. The account quotes the thief as saying, “Don’t want no Samsung.” This is a second-hand reported anecdote, not an independently verified recording or a representative sample of thefts. Read the syndicated account.

What does the London 80% figure mean?

UK Parliament written evidence attributed to The Times Newspaper reports that Apple devices represented 80% of devices reported stolen in London in the data it describes. The evidence also refers to Metropolitan Police Service data involving more than 4,000 Apple devices reported stolen in 2023. Read the parliamentary written evidence.

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That figure describes reported stolen devices in the stated London data. It does not show the chance that an Apple device will be stolen compared with an Android device: the evidence cited here does not adjust for how many devices of each platform are in use. Nor does the figure measure how often Android phones are returned, discarded or kept. No comparable Android return rate or platform-adjusted theft rate is established by these sources.

What to do to protect the phone you already own

Neither an iPhone nor an Android phone is theft-proof. Built-in protections can make some sensitive actions harder after a theft and help you locate or lock a missing device, but they cannot prevent someone from physically snatching it. Check the current options on your own device; available features and requirements can depend on its model and software version.

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On iPhone: review Stolen Device Protection

Apple says Stolen Device Protection adds biometric checks for some sensitive actions and a security delay for certain account changes when an iPhone is away from familiar locations. Apple lists Apple Account two-factor authentication, a device passcode, Face ID or Touch ID, and Significant Locations as requirements. Review Apple’s current instructions and settings, since feature requirements can change: About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone.

On Android: check the theft-protection features available

Google’s Android Help documents features including Theft Detection Lock, which uses device sensors to identify theft attempts. The tools you can manage depend on your supported device and software. See Google’s current guidance at Protect your personal data against theft.

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Know how to secure the linked account

Before you need to act, learn how to use your platform’s account and device-recovery tools to locate or lock a missing phone, and make sure you can access the account recovery method. If the phone is stolen, use the official platform guidance promptly to secure the device and account. These protections are practical steps regardless of brand; the reported London figures do not establish that one platform is safer overall.

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How responses are changing

London Assembly material says Apple has worked with the Metropolitan Police Service on identifying stolen devices, and notes security changes by Samsung and Google as well. That is context for responses across platforms, not evidence that a particular brand’s measures are more effective. See the London Assembly material on phone theft.

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