Their Phones Were Stolen in London. Then the Threats Started.
The New York Times • • general
Key Points:
- Alex Pikula, visiting London, had his phone stolen by an e-bike rider outside a West End theater, a common crime in the city.
- Following the theft, Pikula's mother received threatening messages demanding the unlinking of his Apple ID from the stolen phone, including violent threats and a video of a man with a gun.
- London reported a record 81,000 phone thefts in 2024, with numbers slightly decreasing to 71,000 the following year, highlighting an ongoing issue affecting both residents and tourists.
- The Metropolitan Police have increased efforts to target international criminal networks that traffic stolen phones to China’s black market.