It was a night out in central London celebrating Christmas for Michael, an executive of technology, until that day when he became the victim of a bold assault.
To make it worse, this culprit decided to also violate his privacy by reminding him how he managed to steal using a Ring camera at home, after which police still had no lead on where such a brave thief might be hiding since
According to the DailyMail, the incident occurred on Tuesday, December 19, when Michael, a 33-year-old executive from East London, was trying to get an Uber home in Leicester Square around 2:45 a.m. when his iPhone 15 Pro, worth up to £120 ($152.7), was taken by an attacker, leaving him baffled and without this phone in hand.
Then came a shocking invasion of Michael's personal sanctuary. He woke up at around 10 a.m. to the sound of the thief saying 'Michael, Michael' through his Ring camera. The criminal, who had hacked Michael's phone, proceeded to make crude comments and taunt him for about two minutes.
A customer holds an Apple iPhone 15 series device displayed for sale at The Grove Apple retail store on release day in Los Angeles, California, on September 22, 2023.
Police: Michael's Stolen iPhone Case Closed
The violation extended beyond the intrusion as the thief used Michael's credit card to spend £600 ($763.5) on JD Sports, Asda, and Uber credits. The bungling criminal even changed Michael's Gmail password but provided a recovery email with his name, Ali Hassan.
Recalling the ordeal, Michael expressed the profound violation he felt, saying, "The realization that he was able to speak to me and see me in my bed- my most personal space- was so violating. I'd never experienced anything like it."
Attempting to recover from the incident, Michael reported it to the police, providing them with the thief's apparent name and email. However, the investigation was closed due to a lack of viable leads and CCTV footage. "The victim was informed of this. Any further information that comes to light will be assessed and investigated accordingly," according to a Metropolitan Police representative, per Mirror.
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The news of the assault happened days after Apple's new security feature. According to CNET, Stolen Device Protection enhances iPhone security by requiring a second Face ID or Touch ID authentication an hour later. This optional but recommended setting aims to deter thieves, making it challenging to reset and access sensitive iCloud settings quickly.
This feature adds an extra layer of protection without hindering everyday use. Once activated, users must undergo biometric verification twice to access specific locked settings, such as changing passwords or disabling Find My iPhone.
Apple Office Break-In: Vietnamese Student Sentenced in Singapore
In a separate development, as reported by Apple Insider, a Vietnamese student has been sentenced to 11 months in jail for breaking into an Apple office and stealing products in Singapore. The student was arrested after voluntarily returning some stolen items to the office. The charges include committing housebreaking and two theft charges.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) found an extensive stockpile of electronic gadgets, including iPads, iPhones, and Macbooks. Authorities discovered bins and bags filled with these devices in December. ABC 7 revealed that the police suspect the items were predominantly pilfered in burglaries of homes and cars.
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