‘Is this the new iPhone?’: Thieves ask Noida woman about phone model before snatching it

The phone had reportedly been bought only three days earlier, Bhandari’s husband Saket Gupta said. The family later approached the police, with Gupta also questioning the lack of police presence on major roads during the morning commute.

An online FIR has been registered based on a complaint filed by Bhandari’s father, the police said. According to the police, CCTV footage from the area is being examined, and other evidence is being collected to track down the suspects.

“Is This iPhone 18?” 2 Men on Bike Ask Woman in E-Rickshaw, Then Snatch Her iPhone 18 Pro in Greater Noida, First in my bloodline to see thieves use two factor authentication before executing the theft. pic.twitter.com/WpCEnQHjdm

— Ghar Ke Kalesh (@gharkekalesh) September 23, 2026

The unusual modus operandi of the men asking about the phone before stealing it quickly became a talking point online, with social media users joking that the thieves appeared to be keeping up with the latest iPhone launch.

“Thieves have a standard to maintain; they don’t rob or steal anything below iPhone 18,” one user quipped.

“First in my bloodline to see thieves use two-factor authentication before executing the theft,” another wrote.

“18 hours line got wasted,” a third user joked, referring to the long queues seen outside Apple stores after the latest iPhones went on sale.

“Even thieves are now updated with technology; first, they confirm the model, then they steal,” another person said.

The iPhone 18 Pro is priced from Rs 1,64,900 in India. It comes with storage options ranging from 256GB to 2TB and is available in black, silver, glacier, and burgundy.