London thieves return stolen Samsung phones, target iPhones instead

Thieves in London appear increasingly uninterested in Android devices, particularly Samsung smartphones, according to an investigation by London Centric.

Several victims told the outlet that offenders often discard or even return stolen Samsung phones. In one case, a thief snatched a device, ran a few metres, realised it was a Samsung, and threw it on the ground.

Jake Moore, a cybersecurity specialist at ESET, said criminals tend to prefer iPhones due to their higher resale value on the black market. Still, he noted that it is impossible to draw firm conclusions, as London police do not publish data on the specific models reported stolen.