Agents from the National Police have apprehended a 26-year-old suspect for an alleged crime of receiving stolen goods, after discovering him with 20 high-end mobile phones, all from the iPhone brand, and two stolen vehicle ignition switches from various locations on the island.
The arrest took place in early March, when patrol officers noticed a suspicious vehicle. The driver, who had a police record, attempted to conceal items in the glove compartment upon realising the police were present.
At that moment, two women reported to the officers that their iPhone 13 Pro Max in blue colour and iPhone 15 Pro Max had been stolen the previous day during the Santa Cruz de Tenerife carnivals. Thanks to the tracking function, the officers confirmed that the devices were located inside the vehicle.
Upon searching the car, the officers discovered 20 iPhone devices hidden in various compartments, some covered in tin foil to evade detection, along with two vehicles, one from Volkswagen (Siemens) and another from Mercedes.
During their investigation, the authorities managed to contact the owners of eight of the stolen phones. The victims reported that the thefts took place on March 2, in both the Carnival area of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Verónicas leisure area in Playa de Las Américas (Arona).
Scam as a method of deception
The police have identified that the alleged perpetrator employed a Phishing technique to attempt unlocking the stolen phones. Using WhatsApp, messages were sent to the emergency contacts of the devices, claiming to have found their mobile and requesting personal information.
They then forwarded a fraudulent link that mimicked the Apple interface, prompting users for their email and password, consequently granting access to the victims’ accounts and facilitating illicit financial transactions.
The detainee, who had a history of similar offences, including fraud and receiving stolen goods, was presented before a judicial authority following his arrest. Investigations are ongoing to identify additional victims and to clarify the origins of the remaining seized items.
The National Police emphasises the significance of reporting stolen mobile devices and advises individuals to refrain from entering personal data on suspicious links, to prevent this form of digital fraud.
