Last year, a major issue emerged when Apple and U.S. carriers began shipping the highly anticipated iPhone 16 series, with some customers not receiving their ordered phones. Instead, they were left with empty hands. Criminals quickly swooped in, stealing the phones from doorsteps before they even had a chance to be opened. The Wall Street Journal revealed that many of these stolen phones were ordered by AT&T customers. 
In some cases, the thieves were eventually caught and found to have lists containing tracking numbers for AT&T shipments. This led to a video on YouTube showing how a husband-and-wife duo orchestrated a scheme to steal these prized devices right off delivery trucks.
How cops caught the couple mid-theft
In this instance, the crime had a unique twist. While most stolen iPhones were ordered by legitimate customers, the thieves had stolen the identity of a victim in Martin County, Florida, for the second time. Using the victim’s personal information, the criminals placed an order for an iPhone 16 Pro Max worth $1,200. The victim soon began receiving email confirmations from AT&T about his phone purchase. One email contained a tracking number, and the next one notified the victim that the phone had shipped. The victim then reached out to the Martin County police.
Interestingly, just six months earlier, the same man had experienced a similar theft involving T-Mobile, where thieves intercepted a delivery truck using fake IDs to take the phones. This time, however, the victim had tracking information, so the police were ready to act. On the expected delivery day, they coordinated with the UPS driver, who confirmed that the shipment included the phone intended for the victim’s address. The police instructed the driver to alert them if anyone tried to take the package.
Unmarked police cars followed the UPS truck throughout its route. Eventually, the thieves attempted to cut off the truck with their own vehicle. A woman approached the driver, but before she could act, the police swiftly arrested both her and her husband.
Protecting your iPhone delivery
As we near the release of the iPhone 17 series, it’s essential to be cautious when ordering. Due to iPhones’ popularity, thieves often target them over other high-end phones, like Google Pixels or Samsung Galaxies, because they’re easier to resell. To avoid falling victim to these thefts, make sure your iPhone delivery requires a signature. Both Verizon and T-Mobile ensure that their packages require a signature, but AT&T only started implementing this policy last year for a small additional fee of $7.50 per phone. It’s hard to believe that many of these thefts could have been prevented if AT&T had just spent the extra $7.50 per delivery.
With the rise of thefts targeting iPhone shipments, it’s crucial to stay vigilant. The idea that tracking numbers for AT&T shipments could be in the hands of criminals points to the possibility of rogue employees assisting in these thefts. Hopefully, this type of blatant crime won’t continue to rise this year.