Can they use my stolen iPhone abroad / in Poland?

Hi, someone stole my iPhone 12. It was ready to be sold so fully wiped off (factory reset). I immediately reported it to my network provider and the phone is blocked/blacklisted now.

Will the person who stole it be able to use it if they want to use it in Poland though? My phone provider say no (because of IMEI number) Apple say "not so sure" and an operator in Poland told me they don't block IMEIs.

Does anyone know how it works? Thanks a lot.

Yes, IMEI blocks are country specific unfortunately.

So what would I have to do in order to get that phone blocked in Poland? It's so annoying.

It sounds like you stole the phone and want us to tell you how to hack it.

Well no. I want to get it blocked. Not un-blocked. It's already blocked here in the UK but I know it's in Poland by now so I'm trying to figure out what I can do to make sure it's completely "useless/worthless"

How do you know it's in Poland?

I'd probably write this off and chalk it down to experience.

Buy a cheaper phone next time.

Its only a phone. You reported it so you wont be charged for any more calls.

Unless you had some dirty photos on it??? LOL

So are those iae numbers blocked in poland or not? that is the question folks.

Explanation.
A relative with drug problems (I was unaware of that) came to visit me. Stayed at mine. Stole a few items. That's how I know where the phone is (in Poland) and who has it (my relative) also because I already have someone there trying to get my things back.

The iPhone in question was factory reset. So there's nothing personal on it. Sure, I am annoyed because of its value, of course ( and other items that disappeared from mine).

But what really annoys me, and you can call me naive, is that that iPhone will get sold to so that my relative can buy more drugs. That's why I want to make it completely "unworkable". Also, I'm fuming obviously and so I want that phone impossible to use.

That's where IMEI block comes in. The iPhone is already reported stolen in the UK so that's sorted. But then apparently that's not enough and I'm trying to figure out if I can block it / blacklist it for the Polish territory?

I called the Polish t-mobile and the guy said that in Poland they don't even do the IMEI block? Now given that my Polish isn't great (I'm neither English nor Polish) I'm not sure the guy and I could understand each other 100%.

Then I called the police in PL. I was told that if I report that iPhone as stolen to the police here in the UK then they'll send the information to the police in PL.

What I don't understand is why can't I just call somewhere in PL give them my IMEI and block the b*** thing for good?

An IMEI block is done by the telco you are using, if you did not have a Polish T-Mobile plan or prepaid sim that was in the iphone recently, then there is nothing you can do.

Of course on android there are ways to remotely kill the phone if you know your marbles.
But the fact that it's an iphone means your relative will be having fun with some bath salts.