In a high-stakes heist, a delivery truck carrying 12,000 Samsung devices—including Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7, Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, Samsung Galaxy S25, and Samsung Galaxy A16 units—was hijacked after arriving at a warehouse near London Heathrow Airport, according to Yonhap News TV.
The stolen shipments include approximately 5,000 foldable phones (Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7), 5,000 Galaxy Watch 8 smartwatches, and additional Samsung Galaxy smartphones from the S25 and A16 lines. The total estimated value reportedly exceeds €9 million (approximately ₹90 crore).
The truck carrying the Samsung goodies had completed its flight and reached a distribution warehouse but never made it to retail destinations. Reports suggest that thieves carried out a coordinated hijacking, possibly using inside knowledge of logistic schedules—highlighting vulnerabilities in transporting premium electronics.
UK law enforcement has since recovered the container, but it's unclear whether any devices themselves have been retrieved.
Although the scope of the theft is staggering, Samsung is reportedly shielded by insurance that could limit its financial loss. The company is likely to take immediate steps such as remotely blacklisting the stolen devices so they cannot be activated or resold legally. Samsung will also be co-ordinating with authorities to track serial numbers and disable stolen units via Knox security systems.
With such large-scale stock loss, UK availability for the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7 models could face delays, even amid record-breaking pre-orders globally. Even in India, production for the new foldables had to be ramped up in the Noida facility to meet with the demands.
