iPhone theft ring takes only 10 seconds in the US

On a chilly December afternoon in 2024, a man wheeled a black suitcase into a Brooklyn phone repair shop and handed the bag to the clerk behind the counter. About 40 minutes later, another man walked in carrying a large plastic bag, left it behind, and promptly left.

Later that day, a third man walked into the small store, carrying two large bags and handed them to the same employee who was at the counter when the first man walked in.

The destination was Wyckoff Wireless, an unremarkable store in New York City, except that it was being surveilled by federal agents who were secretly monitoring the scene.

According to the complaint, authorities allege that the cell phone store was a conduit for thousands of stolen iPhones.

In February, federal authorities arrested 13 people in connection with an international crime ring that targeted FedEx packages across the United States.

It only takes 10 seconds to steal an iPhone

Package theft is nothing new, but it's getting more sophisticated. In 2024, iPhone theft in the US suddenly exploded with "lightning-fast" tricks.

Specifically, thieves often target FedEx packages sent by AT&T. The theft takes place just minutes, or even seconds, after the package is delivered to the doorstep.

Thief steals iPhone package from Jaqueline Rosales's doorstep in Georgia. Photo: WSJ.

The heist scenario is fairly similar: a FedEx employee drops off an AT&T iPhone package at a home. A stranger then approaches (often wearing an Amazon delivery shirt), grabs the package, and then drives off. The heist can happen so quickly that in some videos, the FedEx driver and the thief come face to face.

According to investigators, the thief knew the shipping number in advance and acted quickly. Another factor that makes AT&T packages easy to steal is that the carrier does not require a signature upon delivery.

By tapping Wyckoff Wireless, authorities revealed that the iPhone theft ring actually exploited technology and used old-fashioned bribery.

According to a criminal complaint filed in New Jersey, the group created software to harvest FedEx tracking numbers and bribed AT&T store employees to obtain order details and shipping addresses.

The group then sent thieves to retrieve the packages and bring them back to an intermediate location like Wyckoff Wireless.

It is known that this software was created by Demetrio Reyes Martinez, also known online by the nickname "CookieNerd".

Prosecutors said the 37-year-old wrote code to bypass FedEx’s restrictions on requesting delivery data. The hacker then sold the data via Telegram, along with instructions on how to run the program.

Coordinate the "runners"

Continuing the investigation, authorities discovered that Alejandro Then Castillo, an AT&T store employee in Paterson, New Jersey, used his login information to track hundreds of shipments.

The shipments Castillo tracked were later stolen during transit. According to the complaint, the employee took photos of customers’ names, addresses, and order numbers and shared them with the criminal group.

Prosecutors say a group of professional package thieves bribed AT&T employees to get detailed data. Photo: Bloomberg.

Another key link in the criminal network is the coordinators who manage the “runners.” This is the term for the thief who is given a delivery address and instructions to steal packages when the FedEx truck shows up.

According to the records, the “runners” operated across the United States, with the goal of stealing devices including Samsung phones, Apple watches, and AirTags.

Wyckoff Wireless store owner Joel Suriel, 31, also known as "La Melma," is one of the individuals charged with conspiracy to transport and receive stolen property.

Specifically, in 2018, Suriel pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a case involving using stolen customer identities to purchase cell phones from AT&T.

FedEx and AT&T said they cooperated with the investigation, which included the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI, local police departments and the Dominican Republic's attorney general's office specializing in high-tech crimes.

“As bad actors become more sophisticated, the shipping industry has proactively partnered with law enforcement to address the rise in package theft,” a FedEx spokesperson said.

Wyckoff Wireless phone store was shut down after being accused of being a middleman transporting stolen iPhones. Photo: WSJ.

Unlike Verizon or T-Mobile, AT&T typically doesn’t require a signature when delivering a smartphone, which could be a loophole that makes it particularly targeted by criminals.

“We occasionally deal with sophisticated criminals who want to steal high value goods. We understand that this can be frustrating and stressful for our customers.

When unfortunate incidents occur, we work as quickly as possible with customers to resolve the issue," said an AT&T spokesperson.

The carrier said it wanted to make the delivery process as easy as possible, and only asked customers to sign in places with high theft rates. The carrier emphasized that it delivers tens of thousands of packages every day without incident.

Source: https://znews.vn/duong-day-trom-iphone-chi-mat-10-giay-tai-my-post1540520.html