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Shenzhen's Feiyang Times Building Exposed as Global Hub for Stolen iPhones

In 2023, London resident Sam Amrani had his iPhone 15 Pro forcibly taken by a pair of individuals on electric bikes and was able to follow its extensive 6,000-mile route, which ended at a building in Shenzhen, China.
This incident reflects a broader pattern where stolen iPhones from cities like London and Los Angeles are funneled to the Feiyang Times building, known locally as the 'stolen iPhone building'.
The Feiyang Times building specializes in buying, selling, and dismantling second-hand iPhones from Western countries, with a notable market for locked devices that are stripped for parts.
Thieves favor electric bikes for quick street snatches, and despite Apple’s security features like Find My and Activation Lock, the trade persists, with locked iPhones fetching about 30 percent of unlocked prices according to sellers.
While authorities acknowledge the problem and promise appropriate action, the persistent demand and established supply chain imply that eradicating this global stolen iPhone network remains challenging.

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AppleInsider

Center

How even locked iPhones are being stolen for profit

One user tracking his stolen iPhone has led to the uncovering of a global theft system where it hardly matters that your device is locked.

16 hours ago

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9 to 5 Mac

Center

Many iPhones stolen in the US and Europe end up in one building in China

Many iPhones stolen in places as far apart as London, LA, and London end up in a single building in...

16 hours ago

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Financial Times

Center

Inside China’s ‘stolen iPhone building’

We track the roaring trade of mobiles grabbed in London and New York, then sold in a single district in Shenzhen

24 hours ago·London, United Kingdom

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MacRumors

+2 Reposted by 2 other sources

Center

How Stolen iPhones Travel From Western Streets to Chinese Markets

The Feiyang Times is an unassuming tower in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei district, but it has earned the nickname "the stolen iPhone building" in Apple community forums. According to a Financial Times investigation (paywalled), the building has become a major hub in a global network trafficking stolen iPhones. When London tech entrepreneur Sam Amrani had his iPhone 15 Pro snatched by two men on electric bicycles, he tracked its journey via Find My to …

1 day ago·United States

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iPhone in Canada

How Stolen iPhones from the West End Up in Chinese Markets

Explore how Shenzhen's Feiyang Times building has become a central hub in the global trade of stolen iPhones, highlighting their journey to China's markets.

9 hours ago

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The Mac Observer

How Stolen iPhones from the West End Up in China’s Tech Markets

Stolen iPhones from the West are trafficked through Hong Kong and resold in Shenzhen’s Huaqiangbei markets, fueling a thriving underground tech trade.

14 hours ago

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