I've read several threads in Macrumors from people who got their phones/laptops stolen and, after going to police with its location thanks to Find My iPhone, went back home with empty hands.
I don't trust Find My iPhone for recovering my phone if its stolen. With iOS7 activation lock, if your iPhone gets stolen it will most probably end up in eBay to sell as parts.
That article from 3 years ago doesn't quite apply, as today I'm sure anyone stealing iPhones knows that turning it off is a first. I've read it here too. "Guy went away and I could see how he was turning it off".
Find My iPhone has two purposes imo:
1. If you think you've lost it. (If you got it stolen then go to point 2.
2. At least anyone who has it now will be stuck with a useless piece of aluminum/plastic and glass.
Anyways. My original point was that restricting access to data or airplane mode in order to avoid theft is a little naive, because if the thief knows that he needs to turn that off, as soon as he sees he can't press the toggles, he'll turn it off.
Could you tell me what the first sentence in the article says?