Apple won't fix lost or stolen iPhones

Apple Authorized Stores and Authorized Service Providers will now check iPhone for loss or theft before providing service. This is reported in an internal white paper for employees of Apple services, which received journalists from MacRumors.

If MobileGenius or GSX indicates that the device is in Lost Mode when entering the serial number, employees will be required to refuse repair. This will prevent repairs to devices that don't have Find My iPhone enabled but have been flagged as missing or stolen by the police or Apple Support.

Essentially, this is in addition to the existing rule that service center employees can remove activation lock, only if the user provides proof of legal ownership - for example, a receipt or a box, the IMEI of which matches the gadget.