The act of stealing iPhones from an Apple Store is an ineffective crime due to Apple’s anti-theft measures. Those who pilfered smartphones from the Apple Tower Theatre location in Los Angeles faced an alarm and a notification urging them to return the devices, as detailed by Brendan Gutenschwager, who posted a video on June 10. The message displayed on the iPhone stated, “Please return to Apple Tower Theatre. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” The footage captures the devices on the sidewalk before a police officer collects them.

The iPhones were allegedly taken from the Apple Tower Theatre store on June 10, coinciding with citywide demonstrations against federal immigration enforcement actions. Looting and violence erupted during the protests, affecting retail outlets such as Apple, Adidas, and Shoe Palace. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass implemented a partial curfew for the city. The Los Angeles Police Department made several arrests related to looting during the demonstrations.

Demo iPhones available in Apple Stores worldwide are fitted with specialized security software that locks the phone once it is removed from the store, tracks its whereabouts, and notifies authorities.