Investigators in the US have been questioning suspects about AT&T iPhone thefts from porches, perhaps assuming it was an inside job. Police have made several arrests and have gone through dashcam footage of thieves.
AT&T iPhone theft increasingly seems like an inside job
America has an increasing problem of “porch pirates.” These criminals essentially specialize in “monitoring” deliveries and swiping them before the recipient collects them.
When Apple launched the iPhone 16 series, telecom companies started delivering the latest iOS smartphones to several subscribers who opted for a home delivery. However, several AT&T subscribers reported cases of iPhones stolen from their front doors with alarming precision.
Reports about AT&T iPhone 16 thefts indicated the thieves were highly efficient. It was as if they know in advance that the device is going to arrive at that exact address. Even the cops seem inclined to believe that an AT&T insider may have offered useable information that helped the thieves pick up iPhone 16 delivers swiftly and cleanly.
Why were iPhone 16 devices from AT&T targeted?
It is interesting to note that AT&T doesn’t require the recipient of a phone to sign for the package. Other leading American carriers including Verizon and T-Mobile usually seek delivery agencies that hand over a package to a person and get a signature, confirming delivery completion.
What’s more concerning, however, was that in most of the thefts, thieves were mere minutes behind the delivery truck that dropped the AT&T iPhone 16 on the doorsteps. In some cases, thieves accidentally reached a location early. They had to stall for a few minutes for the FedEx truck to arrive, before stealing the iPhone 16.
Investigators suspect the AT&T iPhone theft was an inside job because one of the porch pirates had tracking numbers for iPhone shipments to Houston areas. After they were arrested, police discovered four stolen iPhone 16 models in the car they had rented.
To avoid or minimize such incidents, investigators have advised consumers to collect their iPhones from the store. Additionally, if possible, buyers would opt for a delivery method that mandates a signature of the recipient.
