French Apple Store Looters Find Stolen iPhones Disabled and Tracked
Thieves who targeted an Apple store in Lille during recent riots were surprised to find their stolen devices rendered unusable and flagged to authorities.
Looters who targeted an Apple Store in Lille, France, during recent riots discovered that their stolen iPhones had been disabled and were being tracked, according to reports.
Viral video footage from the aftermath of the looting on October 17 shows a thief displaying a warning message on a stolen iPhone. The alert read: “Please return the device to Apple Lille. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.”
Apple products are known to display such warnings when they are detected as stolen from retail locations. Social media users reacted to the news, with many criticizing the thieves for their actions. "Protesters raided an Apple Store in Lille France yesterday, dumbest move ever," one user posted on X.
The Lille Apple store was among several luxury goods retailers targeted during widespread protests across France. Stores such as Louis Vuitton, Hermes, and Dior also fell victim to looting. In Bordeaux, a masked group was seen breaking into a Louis Vuitton store, while in Marseille, looters targeted Hermes and other high-end retailers.
The demonstrations, which initially began as protests concerning education and the cost of living, escalated into widespread unrest. Approximately 1,800 people were arrested, and over 500 police officers were injured during the unrest. The estimated insurance costs resulting from the riots are expected to range between $1.3 billion and $1.6 billion, nearly double the cost of damages from the 2023 riots.