Beware! This is the Method Used by Receivers of Stolen Phones to Trap Victims in Order to Crack Phone Passwords

The Head of Criminal Investigation at the Kebayoran Baru Metro Police Sector, AKP Andre Simamora, stated that three receivers of hundreds of stolen mobile phones in East Bekasi, Bekasi, attempted to unlock the phones’ passwords by contacting the victims while pretending to be parties related to the devices. The profits they obtained ranged from Rp 2 million to Rp 4 million per phone. For phones that could not be unlocked, the perpetrators sold them to mobile phone counters under the pretext that they were damaged. “These receivers also sold back handphones that possibly could not have their iCloud bypassed by selling them part by part (spare parts),” he said. Andre explained that the hundreds of phones were wrapped in aluminium foil to disrupt the tracking feature. This finding of the modus operandi aligns with the confession of theft victims who claimed that their phone tracking system suddenly disappeared at one point. The phones that were temporarily seized by the police are now being returned one by one to their owners. This case came to light following reports of mobile phone thefts by several people from January to May to the Kebayoran Baru Metro Police Sector. During the investigation, the police obtained information about the headquarters or warehouse of the phone receivers in an apartment in the East Bekasi area. Three perpetrators, MAA, MR, and J, were arrested by the police while attempting to flee on Monday (4/5/2026). They are now detained at the Kebayoran Baru Metro Police Sector. In the apartment, the police seized 225 stolen mobile phones. The three suspects are charged under Article 592 of the Criminal Code regarding Receiving Stolen Goods and Article 476 of the Criminal Code regarding Theft. They face a maximum prison sentence of six years.