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Comment by xhrpost | Hacker News Reader

Didn't realize cell phone theft was a big thing. Don't personally know anyone it's happened to. What value would a cell phone be to a thief? I would assume a theft would be flagged in a cellular provider's system for the given ESN and disallow any future service registration by someone other than the original owner. Are thieves getting someone to change ESNs on these phones or do cell companies just not care?

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It's a huge thing! I had three phones stolen in the past 18 months, all while abroad. The last time my iPhone was stolen from my front pocket while I was partying. In the same timespan I also successfully fought of one guy in my own country who tried to steal my phone.

It's the reason why I don't carry a smartphone anymore. :)

From what I hear stolen phones are often moved abroad, where they wouldn't be blocked. I'm not sure if it's true, however, since I don't think many phones get blocked to begin with. And if they do get blocked, I bet they get blocked after they've been sold.

Could perhaps be the case that if only 5% of phones don't get blocked then that pay-off makes it worthwhile for desperate criminals (i.e. people needing money for addictions, as opposed to people planning strategically).

I read somewhere that they are sold in bulk to criminal gangs who change whatever codes identify the phone and then resell them abroad.

I presume you run off to Craigslist and dump it off on someone else as soon as possible.

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