Apple Warns iPhone Thieves in France: “This Device Is Being Tracked”

Apple has sent a blunt warning to people who stole iPhones during recent unrest in France: the devices are disabled, tracked, and the police have been notified.

The message that's appearing on iPhones stolen from Apple Stores in France reads

Please return the device to Apple. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.”

A video of the lock-screen alert, posted on X, quickly racked up more than a million views. Reactions were mostly unsympathetic. Many commenters called the warning “totally deserved,” pointing out that Apple devices are locked until the moment of sale and that location tracking is standard.

Background: Protests Turn into Looting

The thefts took place amid widespread protests across France that began around October 17. Demonstrators were protesting the rising cost of living, government spending cuts, and strained public services. In several cities the protests escalated into rioting and looting.

Among the targets was Team Vitality’s headquarters in Paris, where PC equipment and esports trophies were stolen. Apple stores were also hit, with social-media footage showing people walking out with iPhones and other products.

Why the Warning Matters

Modern iPhones are protected by Activation Lock and Find My. Once a device is reported stolen or is still linked to Apple’s systems, it can be remotely disabled and its location shared with authorities. The Lille message is a public demonstration of that capability—and a clear signal that simply grabbing phones off a shelf does not make them usable or untraceable.

Apple has not issued a broader public statement beyond the on-device alerts, but the move fits the company’s long-standing approach: make stolen devices nearly worthless and give law enforcement a tracking trail.

Similar stories have circulated in other cities. In Nice, the manager of a Micromania video-game store was praised online for defending his shop against rioters; a fundraiser was later set up to help cover losses.

For anyone who walked out of an Apple Store with an unpaid iPhone during the unrest, the message is straightforward: the phone is bricked, it’s being tracked, and the authorities know