Macworld spoke to several UK networks about the issue of the stolen phones, with the general answer being that they’ll simply check stock records for each ransacked store, and add the IMEI number associated with each phone to the Equipment Identity Register which will block them from working with SIM cards in under a day. Within two days the phones will also be banned from being used on any UK network.
Sellers of stolen phones will likely still try and shift them onto unsuspecting buyers, meaning anyone who’s been thinking about buying a brand new iPhone, BlackBerry or other recent model should probably go by official means only for a while, unless they want to end up with a very expensive door-stopper.
It’s likely that once sellers realise their stolen goods aren’t any good in the UK, they may try and sell them overseas, but this will obviously involve more hassle for the sellers and little reward. Anyone want a new door-stopper, perchance? [Macworld]
Jonathan
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 8:41 AMSeriously, offloading stolen goods isnt a new concept, if imei blocking really was a decent deterrent to theft, no one would ever have their phones stolen.
Basic anti-theft measures only hinder the honest people, If these do get sold on craigslist I am sure they will be quickly resold on ebay or some other medium for easy international sales.
Imei blocking only works on the networks in that country, and the phones will work fine in any other country that iphones work in.
Ash
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 10:33 AMAhhh isn’t a iPhone without a SIM basically a iTouch? Hence not a door stopper? Hence still worth something worth stealing/selling.
chris
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 10:34 PMyep your correct… still very much worth something! slightly fatter than a touch but has a better camera and more ram.
Wok
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 1:28 PMDon’t apple block them from iTunes too?
Jonathan
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 3:17 PMNo apple doesnt block them. They still work on wifi, just any carrier based cellular activity is disabled. So they are still a wifi enabled VOIP/Skype phone, still an ipod etc etc. And still a fully functioning phone in other countries where they arent imei blocked
trk
Friday, August 12, 2011 at 7:07 PMYou say a useless iPhone, I say a useful iPad Mini (Wifi only version).
Steve
Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 6:29 PM“iPad Mini”
Ahaha. That’s a good one.