Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR
- Samsung Galaxy phones appear to be far less desirable to thieves than iPhones, prompting some to give robbery victims their devices back.
- Mobile phone thefts, usually snatch-and-grabs, are rising, but thieves reportedly prefer iPhones due to their enhanced resale value.
- Since thieves don’t want your Samsung Galaxy phone, you might get to keep it in the event of a robbery.
It’s safe to say that, in 2025, the notion that Android phones are cheaper than iPhones simply isn’t true. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra costs more than the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and that’s without getting into the foldable phone market, where Samsung charges $2,000 for the Galaxy Z Fold 7. In fact, Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z TriFold could hit the $3,000 mark. Phone thieves apparently didn’t get the memo.
Smartphone theft is rampant in the London, with the UK’s Metropolitan Police reporting 117,211 mobile phone thefts in the city in 2024 alone. While the Metropolitan Police doesn’t track theft data by smartphone brand, it appears thieves have a preference. A feature in the London Centric blog profiled Sam, a 32-year-old Londoner who was robbed for his phone, camera, and beanie hat by an eight-man mob. Shortly after running off, Sam recalls one thief turned around, and handed his Samsung phone back.
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Why? London’s thieves “don’t want no Samsung.”
iPhones are known to be more popular among teens and in pop culture, but it’s a stunning sight when thieves hold onto a stolen beanie but give back a lowly Samsung Galaxy phone. London Centric also spoke with Mark, whose Samsung Galaxy phone was tossed on the ground after a bike-riding thief was unimpressed by the stolen device. “If anything I feel a bit rejected,” Mark told the blog.
Experts think thieves’ disdain for Samsung phones is closely linked with their lower resale value compared to iPhones. While the retail prices between premier iPhones and Android phones are mostly the same, iPhones hold more residual value over time. Jake Moore, a cybersecurity advisor for ESET, told London Centric, “Apple devices have a higher secondhand market value and it makes more economic sense to pursue these more sought-after phones rather than cheaper models with a lower secondhand price.”
London thieves likely want iPhones due to their higher resale value, not because they are easier to unlock. Both iPhones and Android phones have robust anti-theft security features, with Google and Samsung going above and beyond in recent years. Theft Detection Lock, for example, is an Android-exclusive feature that locks your device if the accelerometer detects a snatch-and-grab.
So, in the culture war between iOS and Android, even thieves don’t want your Samsung phone. At least that means you might be safe from the rising trend of mobile phone thefts.
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