iPhones Stolen in London Riots Will Be Useless Within 48 Hrs

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Posted August 11, 2011 at 4:26pm by iClarified

iPhones stolen in the London Riots will be useless within 48 hours, reports MacWorld.

Speaking to several networks, the site learned that the stolen handsets can be easily blocked.

Once they have examined their stock records, store owners will be able to report the hardwired IMEI numbers for each lost handset which will result in networks adding them to their Equipment Identity Register (EIR), which will stop them working with any SIM within 24 hours. The networks will in turn add their EIR list to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), a central database of IMEI numbers accessible by all major networks. That will turn off their use on any UK network within 48 hours.

Unfortunately, this may not be a problem for the thieves but rather for the individuals who innocently purchased a 'used' device. Beware of any deals too good to be true.

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iPhones Stolen in London Riots Will Be Useless Within 48 Hrs

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Nizam - August 13, 2011 at 3:50am

Why is it that iClarified decided to use a photo of a bearded bloke with a hat on? Almost suggesting that its the muslims causing the problems. The photo used in this article is not even a photograph used in the original article on the MacWorld site. iClarify? No, I just clarified! It was wrong of you to imply something not true.

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Notch - August 12, 2011 at 6:28pm

Sad to see how willfully ignorant we are about this. Yes, Europe has built the system so that they can ban stolen phones. Rather easy, actually. And so the rates of stolen phones over there are very low, as thieves usually don't bother. No, America suspiciously refuses to implement this. This is yet another American scandal, where cell companies PRETEND that they are powerless to stop stolen phones from accessing their networks. But of course, they have the ways and means to secure their networks, but they make too much money from re-purchases, insurance, etc. Wake up, Americans! Demand that stolen phones be permanently banned, and the stolen phone industry (yes, it's at that level) dies overnight. When will Americans start fighting for actual change in their daily lives?

DacksMac - August 13, 2011 at 11:40am

Because it's a cell phone. Right now people rather spend their time more efficiently by trying to create jobs and businesses to correct the economys current deficiency.

Nicolae.Popa - August 11, 2011 at 10:11pm

Stupid Apple! When I ship 3 iPhones in 2010 and they was stolen from the usps carrier, I called Apple and I asked them to block thoose devices so the thief can't use it anymore... The answer was: "we can't do nothing".

Adcpolo - August 12, 2011 at 1:49am

Yeah! I was going to say the same thing! If your phone is stolen and ask them to block it they say they can't , but when their phones her stolen one of a sudden they can lock them.!!! :(

What - August 12, 2011 at 6:20am

You should complain to the telecom authorities, all UK mobile telephone suppliers are obliged by law to notify the register of the IMEI of stolen mobile phones in order that they can be networked barred.

DodgerKing - August 11, 2011 at 9:49pm

They wont be useless. They will simply be iPod touches with a camera and GPS

Merk - August 11, 2011 at 8:52pm

There is no jailbreak for 4.3.5 OS and regardless that would not change the IMEI so once its banned the phone is a brick. I would rather see the police use the gps and locate the phone and bust people with em !

Shameer - August 11, 2011 at 9:24pm

there is ic has a tutorial but it s tethered

Tomazpog - August 11, 2011 at 5:53pm

Hello, how are you?

Fake - August 11, 2011 at 5:36pm

Actually you can Jailbreak, Unlock and sell in an another country on ebay... Wtf is this

Miguel - August 11, 2011 at 5:47pm

No, my dear friend when you insert an IMEI in this list, the device stops to work in all GSM networks in the world. If everybody that have a GSM phone stolen do this, this kind of robbery would stop

john - August 11, 2011 at 5:51pm

yup, still jailbreakable but im not so sure about unlockable. author wrote the phones will be "useless?" it simply wouldnt be able to make phonecalls in the uk, leaving all other features functional. is an ipod touch useless?

t11chb - August 11, 2011 at 7:46pm

IMEI can be changed, illegal but can be done.

Divine one - August 11, 2011 at 10:40pm

It can be changed ive done it to mant iphones

sowat99 - August 11, 2011 at 11:49pm

My friend, the stolen iphone's IMEI will ONLY be added in the servers of all the Carriers in the UK. This units will not be workable in UK but will work somewhere else in the world. Tested and Proven.

paul - August 12, 2011 at 3:37am

how??? will you teach me how or atleast point me to the right direction thanks