A new Apple store policy is about to make it harder for thieves to turn a stolen iPhone into a quick buck.
According to a report from MacRumors, who claims to have seen internal documents about the matter, Apple’s repair technicians will now be able to see if a phone has been reported lost or stolen. Apple already cannot repair iPhones upon which Find My iPhone has not been disabled, which helps reduce the spread of stolen iPhones. This measure will go further.
According to the report, the internal MobileGenius or GSX systems used by Apple repair technicians will now list if an iPhone (identified by the unique IEMI number) is in the global GSMA device registry for phones reported as missing. If their systems indicate a device was reported missing, the technicians have been instructed to decline the repair.
Late last year, Apple unveiled a new Self Service Repair program that lets people order genuine parts and tools without needing to visit an Apple Store or repair center. It’s not clear from this report whether Apple will decline Self Service Repair orders for missing phones as well.
