Apple just made it harder for thieves to make money off of stolen iPhones

Apple is making it harder for thieves to sell stolen phones.

An internal Apple memo advised technicians at Apple stores or Apple authorized service providers to check the device registry to see if the phone they are working on has been registered as missing or stolen. If the phone is missing, technicians have been told to refuse to work on it. MacRumors said this should deter thieves from sending in stolen phones to Apple for repairs.

Users can report their missing devices by updating the list with the phone's IMEI number. The number can be found in the settings app.

Apple has a new policy that makes sure that stolen phones aren't sent to Apple's technicians for repairs. If the customer is unable to stop the Find My iPhone function, Apple Stores or Apple Authorized Service Providers are not allowed to repair the phone.

The perceived premium quality of the iPhone has made it a target for thieves.

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