Apple Could Add New iPhone Anti-Theft Lock For Snatch Thefts

Apple is developing an automatic anti-theft lock for iPhones that could lock the device as soon as a snatch theft is detected. Code discovered in Apple's internal development builds reveals the company is testing a new 'Theft Deterrence Lock' that uses motion sensors, biometrics, and on-device machine learning to identify grab-and-run scenarios and instantly secure the phone. If implemented, this feature would be the most aggressive iPhone theft prevention measure yet, potentially rendering stolen devices useless within seconds. The discovery comes from Apple's iOS 20 beta code, first reported by security researcher 'John Appleseed' (a pseudonym) who shared findings with Forbes. The feature is codenamed 'Clutch' and appears to trigger when the iPhone detects sudden acceleration followed by rapid movement away from a paired device like an Apple Watch or AirTag. It would then immediately lock the screen, disable notifications, and require Face ID or a long passcode to unlock—even if the thief has seen the user enter their passcode earlier. Apple has not confirmed the feature, but the code is fully functional in internal builds, indicating a possible release in iOS 20 later this year. The theft lock is a direct response to the surge in 'snatch thefts'—where thieves on e-bikes or scooters grab phones from pedestrians' hands—which have spiked 40% in major U.S. cities like New York and San Francisco since 2024. Similar thefts plague London, Paris, and Tokyo. Currently, iPhone theft protection relies on Activation Lock (Find My) and Stolen Device Protection (introduced in iOS 17.3), but both require an iCloud account or setup—many victims never enable them. The new 'Clutch' feature would activate automatically, no user configuration needed. Privacy advocates welcome the change but warn it could lead to false positives—for example, locking a legitimate user running to catch a bus. Apple's machine learning model is reportedly trained on thousands of theft scenarios to minimise errors. If Apple launches this feature, it could set a new industry standard, pressuring Samsung and Google to follow suit. The financial impact could be significant: U.S. smartphone theft costs insurers and consumers over $12 billion annually. Expect more details at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June, where iOS 20 is likely to be previewed. For now, iPhone users hoping for a kill switch will have to wait a few more months.