During the recent large-scale demonstrations and riots in France, an Apple Store in the northern city of Lille was looted by rioters. However, the stolen iPhone demo units triggered a special built-in anti-theft mechanism after the rioters left the store, automatically locking and activating location-tracking alarms.
Videos circulating online show the stolen iPhones displaying a French security warning: "Please return this device to Apple Lille. This device is disabled and is being tracked. Local law enforcement will be notified."
The incident has drawn ridicule from netizens worldwide, who described the rioters as having gone to great lengths only to steal "worthless electronic junk," even proactively handing over their criminal location data to the police: "Those products will be disabled, and their location will be traced."
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