Phone Shop Owner Questioned After Unknowingly Buying Stolen iPhone
A phone shop owner in Pathum Thani faced police questioning after unknowingly buying a stolen iPhone 17 Pro Max that had its security system illegally removed, prompting him to warn others in the industry about widespread device unlocking f
Ritthichak Danudet, owner of a mobile phone shop in Lam Luak Khlong 2, Pathum Thani, posted a warning after nearly facing criminal charges for unknowingly purchasing a stolen iPhone.
On June 25, a vendor sold him an iPhone 17 Pro Max for 42,500 baht. The shop conducted routine checks and found no security locks, so he posted it for resale and scheduled a pickup appointment.
When the customer arrived on June 26, six undercover detectives appeared instead and brought the shop owner to a police station. There he met with the complainant and learned that the phone belonged to a company that had sold it with a down payment arrangement. However, the device's MDM (Mobile Device Management) security system had been removed and the phone illegally resold. The company had traced the device to his shop.
After discussion and explanation, police confirmed that the shop owner had made a standard purchase from an ordinary vendor and documented the case for further legal action.
The shop owner warned others in the mobile phone industry to be extremely cautious during this period of widespread device unlocking fraud. He urged police to quickly apprehend those involved in removing security locks, as their actions make legitimate business very difficult.
