40 Stolen iPhones Dumped by Freeway in East Los Angeles

Customers look at iPhone models at the Apple Store in Sydney, Australia, on Sept. 20, 2019. Jason McCawley/Getty Images

California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers earlier this week found dozens of stolen iPhones dumped along a freeway in East Los Angeles.

About 40 iPhones were discovered on the shoulder of an off-ramp on an unspecified freeway by a CHP officer patrolling the area, according to a Jan. 3 Instagram post by East LA CHP.

The post’s photos show about 40 stolen iPhones of various colors and models discarded along the highway.

Ultimately, CHP officers discovered several owners of the iPhones had attended the “Countdown New Year’s Invasion” event at the National Orange Show Events Center in San Bernardino.

They used the tracking feature on their phones to discover them at the CHP’s office, where officers returned their devices to them, according to the post.

Officials warned any who attended the New Year’s event who lost their phone to track it just in case.

“Several owners were able to ping their phones and pick them up from our office. If you attended the event and feel we may have your phone, ping your phone,” the post said.

It’s currently unclear how the iPhones ended up by the side of the freeway.

The incident remains under investigation, according to officials.

The post added that if the last known location on the phone shows the East LA CHP office’s address of 1601 Corporate Center Dr., Monterey Park, people should call 323-980-4600 and ask for the Evidence and Property Officer.