An unwanted trend raising eyebrows in London's phone-snatching data reveals that criminals are becoming incredibly picky, openly rejecting Samsung and other Android devices in favor of the Apple iPhone.
The city, which has long grappled with "Apple picking," is now witnessing thieves who are reportedly returning snatched phones that fail to meet their brand preference. This phenomenon points directly to the higher resale value that iPhones command on the international black market, cementing their status as the prime target for pickpockets.
According to victim accounts in a London Centric report, the rejection can be comically blunt. One London resident, Sam, who was mugged by a group, was shocked when one attacker paused, turned back, and returned his device with a terse, unmistakable reason: “Don't want no Samsung.”
The report also cites another Samsung Galaxy owner, Mark, watched as a thief on an e-bike snatched his phone only to stop moments later, inspect the brand, and deliberately throw it on the ground before cycling away. This bizarre, firsthand experience of brand rejection leaves Android users with an odd mix of relief and unexpected ego bruising.
While neither the Metropolitan Police nor the City of London Police track thefts by device type, anecdotal evidence and reports suggest that the practice is widespread. What they also see is that older or cheaper phones are often dropped at the scene because they are not worth the risk.
Security experts confirm the preference is purely financial, as iPhones fetch significantly higher prices than most Android models in secondary markets, especially overseas, where they are often shipped.
This economic incentive has concentrated street crime efforts, placing every iPhone user on the thieves' radar while also giving Android users an unexpected, if uncomfortable, layer of security.
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