iPhone says locked by owner

When your iPhone was stolen, did you mark it as Lost, as described in this article, to lock it?

If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is lost or stolen - Apple Support

If you locked the phone, and now you have it back, you need to remove the Activation Lock. Since you are the owner, you should be able to do this with your Apple ID and Apple ID password.

How to remove Activation Lock - Apple Support

If your phone was Activation Locked and someone who did not know your credentials (e.g., the thief) wanted to reset the phone and make it their own, the Activation Lock would tend to interfere with that, making the phone a worthless "brick", and discouraging them from stealing other people's iPhones.

"iPhone says locked by owner: My phone was recently stolen and I got it back but now it says that it’s locked by owner what does that mean and how to I fix it?"

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Unlocking an iPhone:

Take this in for a Genius Bar Appointment at your local Apple Store. Bring along a proof of purchase.