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A surge in mobile phone snatching incidents across London is revealing an unexpected pattern: thieves are becoming surprisingly picky, and iPhone owners are paying the price. The city has long wrestled with so-called “Apple picking”, a term coined for the growing trend of thieves grabbing smartphones right out of people’s hands. But recent victim accounts suggest the label has never been more accurate. Criminals seem to be deliberately targeting iPhones while openly rejecting Android devices, often in comically blunt fashion.
‘He looked at my phone… then threw it on the floor’
Mark, one of several Londoners who spoke to London Centric, says his encounter with an e-bike-riding thief left him stunned, not because of the theft attempt, but because of the rejection that followed.
“I saw him stop, look at my phone, then throw it on the floor,” Mark said. “He cycled off and I retrieved my phone.”
His device wasn’t damaged. His ego, however, took a hit. “If anything, I feel a bit rejected. My poor phone.”
Thieves returning phones they don’t want
Not everyone has been as lucky. Sam, another victim, says he was attacked by a group of eight men outside a Royal Mail depot earlier this year. After being roughed up and robbed, something unusual happened.
One of the attackers paused, turned back, and handed Sam his phone. “Don’t want no Samsung,” the thief reportedly said before fleeing.
The reasoning is straightforward: iPhones carry far higher resale value on the secondary market. Criminals looking to make a quick profit know Apple devices can be sold for significantly more than most Android models.
Android owners notice the trend, and feel oddly relieved
Security experts say the preference makes sense from a financial standpoint. But Android owners are seeing the pattern firsthand, and some are feeling unexpectedly grateful.
Simon, another London local, described how a would-be thief approached him casually, asking if he had Spotify. Thinking it was a musician trying to share his work, Simon took out his Samsung Galaxy, only for the thief to instantly walk away. It was only then Simon realised he had narrowly avoided a mugging.
iPhones: A prime target in London’s growing theft wave
Neither the Metropolitan Police nor City of London Police track thefts by device type, but anecdotal evidence increasingly supports the same conclusion: in London, if you’re carrying an iPhone, you’re on the radar.
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