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My iPhone 4 was stolen

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
Someone swiped it off the table while I was at dinner with my husband last night. I thought I had it in my purse up until this morning- then I finally realized it really, really was gone. So I tracked it using the Mobile Me app and someone has taken it across the state, hundreds of miles away. I had it display a message asking them to call my husband's phone and his number, and what a shock, nothing.

I know exactly where it is- it's in a car parked in front of a house in Vancouver, WA. It's right between two houses- I can tell what the address is, at least narrowed down to within one or two houses.

I'll definitely file a police report tomorrow, but is there anything I am missing here so far? I locked it remotely, which Verizon said was sufficient to protect it when I called them.

I paid something like $150 or $200 for it new about 6 months ago or less, and to replace it will cost $699 this week, and $650 next week when the new iPhone comes out. Blah. People suck.

I have no idea if the police can do much, or if they'll give a crap.

Is there anything they can actually *do* with a locked iPhone, I wonder? Wipe it somehow and sell it on eBay, or use it themselves, or something? I realize I'm kind of clueless about what they could actually use it for, other than a decorative iPhone shaped paperweight.

I lost a bunch of pics of my kitties that died earlier this year and frankly, that's almost more of a violation than having to spend $$$ to replace it.
 

MichelleCarmen

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Feb 8, 2003
Messages
15,880
How much to replace it? Bring some big burly guy with you and drive down there and demand your phone back! You might even be able to have a deputy go with you!

Good luck!
 

maplefemme

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
874
That bites, LGK :nono:
I don't know about where you are, I know the police here will go get your phone and make an arrest if they can.
My friend was at his Daughter's game and someone stole his phone, they tracked it and the police pulled over the thief on the highway 30 minutes later, she was shocked they caught her.
I hope you get it back with your kitty pics, definitely contact their local police dept.

Good luck!
 

PositivelyPeanut

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
132
LGK|1318041245|3035748 said:
I lost a bunch of pics of my kitties that died earlier this year and frankly, that's almost more of a violation than having to spend $$$ to replace it.
I don't have much to offer in the way of answers, but I'm very sorry this happened to you. I hope the police will do something. I would think that they would. I agree with contacting a police dept in Vancouver, WA. I'd do it tonight, if possible...maybe they can get on it right away.
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
Assuming the cops don't show up to take it back, which I STRONGLY doubt will happen, Verizon can definitely render it useless and flag the ESN, and that won't stop them from selling it to some poor schlub who might buy it on EBay without checking the ESN. That's one big pro to CDMA carriers--they can kill that serial dead for activation. This person CAN wipe it but that won't matter for activation. And I don't know if remote lock will prevent wiping. But itll be a wifi-only item once its wiped bec Sprint and Vzw won't reactivate it. When I got to ATT to report it they were pretty much like, well, you're gonna need a new one now. The MPLS cops looked at me like "why are you wasting our time. Buy a new one". Didn't expend the energy and refused to do a police report. The mall would not provide me with any sort of footage either without a subpeona.

I am giving you big hugs, because I JUST went through this. My friend loaned me her upgrade til I got my new phone--I preordered the 4s using an early upgrade credit, and hopefully this all can get reversed when my new phone shows next week. I f'ing hate people and their entitlement.

Ugh.
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
Ugh. That sucks that you just had this happen too. But your post was super helpful Ame, thank you!

I called 911- unfortunately the only way to file a report- and talked to a police officer in the jurisdiction where it was stolen, which apparently is what I had to do. He said they'd "call me".

Well. Guess I might get the 4S. It's not much more expensive than the 4 at this point, and I'm not willing to risk ebay to buy used, not when they're selling for so much anyway. I did find a website called mobilekarma.com that sells used iPhones with a 30 day warranty. Their used iPhone 4s sell for $350.

While I was typing this up, actually, the police from the Redmond where it was nabbed just called me and I sent them the screenshot of the phone's location. The officer I talked to was actually super nice, which was surprising but much appreciated! She said they'd contact the police where my phone's at to see if they can help, and then call me back. More than I was expecting, for sure.

Sadly, it is far away from where I am (about a five hour drive) so I can't go pounding on any doors myself quite yet. :tongue:
 

Cehrabehra

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 29, 2006
Messages
11,071
I used to live near Portland, I totally woulda driven over the bridge!
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
Wow!! If they can recover it so you don't have to repurchase that would be awesome. I did the 4s because I figured if I was paying so much for a phone, I want the best damn thing out right now. My husband didnt share my logic.
 

Amys Bling

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 25, 2010
Messages
11,025
I hope they get the thief!!!
 

luv2sparkle

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 3, 2008
Messages
7,950
LGK, lots of dust for getting your phone back. It really wouldn't take much for the police to go and get it. Will it ring if they call your
number, with it being locked? That would be really helpful for them in finding it.

Really, this is not that minor a theft when you consider how much they cost to replace. I am so sorry this happened to you!
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
We tested the remote lock on this one, and it will ring, and they can answer it. Thats just all they can do.
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
ame|1318093542|3036016 said:
We tested the remote lock on this one, and it will ring, and they can answer it. Thats just all they can do.
Oh cool. I had no idea if it rang or not. Thank you for checking! Gah this has been annoying, but DH has been super sweet and when I had a brief melt down yesterday he kept telling me I wasn't an idiot, it wasn't my fault. Between that and the car accident and the stupid Farmers insurance rep who sucks, I had just about had. it. at mid afternoon yesterday. He encouraged me to get the 4S if I want, or whatever would make me happy and reminded me that yes, it's annoying, but it's just money and nobody got hurt in the accident. (And with my mom's stroke and all that, it's for sure reminded me that 10000% worse when it's someone you love who is ill, rather than just obnoxious money BS.)

No word yet from the police; I really can't tell if it died, and if it's still trackable. It still shows in the same location on MobileMe, but it only shows the last "update" as the time I locked it yesterday. Guess we'll find out soon enough. It'd be amazing if the police actually check on it- I was imagining that they'd just file a report and that'd be that.

I may shell out for insurance on the next phone. :nono:

ETA: And Cehra, haha, seriously tempted to ask some of my friends in Portland to do just exactly that! :tongue:
 

Laila619

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
11,676
So sorry, LGK.
 

AprilBaby

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Jul 17, 2008
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13,234
Can't wait to hear what happens! Hubby left his on the train one day and I tracked it all day till he got it back!
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
If it hasn't moved that's the last known location and it's turned off more than likely, and by this time probably wiped, unfortunately. But since you have VZW you're still likely out the phone, but they can't reactivate it nor can whoever they sell it to.
 

PositivelyPeanut

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
132
Sounds like your hubby is a winner. I love sweet husbands. They really are priceless, aren't they? They may not always be perfect (who is), but they always seem to know what to say/do when it's important. :)

My husband and I were just in Portland a couple weeks ago. Too bad it wasn't then; we could've gone over the bridge for ya and at least nagged the cops til they did something... ;-) (I'm hoping they'll call you soon. Tomorrow's Sunday. Nothing much happens on a Sunday in Vancouver, does it? Heh.)
 

Imdanny

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
6,186
So sorry, LGK! :nono:

SO has a 4 and I have his old 3GS. I love them both and it would suck if either was stolen!

A little something I want to add to this thread is a word of caution about these phones being in others' possession. SO found one in the public bathroom at his work. The owner simply lost it in the bathroom. :errrr:

The phone told me it was being tracked. Of course that was the right thing for the owner to do.

SO brought it home (he should have turned it in to security).

I called the guy and we arranged for him to send me a prepaid envelope for me to ship him his phone back (I'm in Hawaii, he was visiting, by this time he was in Texas).

I did, and he got it, and he sent me a $50 gift card for a spa (one of the most expensive spas in the world- the only thing it would buy would be a manicure, but it wouldn't include the tip- I passed :wacko: ).

He was freaking out because, as I found out when I was trying to find his contact information, he had been using Craigslist to meet up with other men. He was married and here's his phone with all this stuff on it- you get the picture). I didn't think it was my place to judge him. I mean I don't do that kind of thing and never have- but hey, lots of people in the world, and some people do that, I don't think it's right, but it's not my life.

I had to reassure him that I meant him no harm and only wanted to send his phone back. He was desperate for someone to send his phone to him. To me it was just an expensive phone that wasn't mine, and I didn't want to be in possession of it.

I guess what I mean is... let's say someone stole a phone. They might ditch it. Someone else might be a good Samaritan and pick it up and try to get it back to its rightful owner.

So the moral of my story is not everyone who is in possession of someone else's missing iPhone is actually a thief. I know because I was in this position.

I told SO if he ever finds another to just turn it in to security and be done with it! I'm glad I was able to get this phone back to this guy, but being in possession of a phone being tracked, and all the calls and arrangements the owner and I had to make, was not something I want to repeat.

I hope you get your phone back, LGK! :))
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
Oh lord, this has gotten *weird*. So two nights ago, my phone dropped off the map- couldn't track it, so I assumed it was finally wiped. I watched whomever had it wandering around their house with it for a couple of days before that. No response from police.

I finally got in touch with the officer in charge of my case today. She said that, now that I'd figured out the exact address, she had been begging the Vancouver police to go to the actual door and ask about the phone. Apparently they'd first just driven by the address and had decided "nothing looked suspicious". She was awesome and followed up, pestering them to actually make contact.

So today, she called me just a little bit ago and said that the Vancouver people were being "quite short" with her, and so she didn't really have the full story, but that my phone is waiting for me at the local police department to me. And that I should be able to go get it tomorrow AM! YAY! :appl: :appl: :appl: The people at the house in question apparently said the missing phone had something to do with houseguests, but that was all she could get out of the police there. I really, really don't care as long as I get my phone back.

I'm so gonna send the officer who helped me flowers. She was super nice and kept on following up when she could have totally just blown it off. Hell, maybe I'll send the people who had my phone flowers too. They did give it back after all, however it happened they at least finally did the right thing. God knows why they didn't call my husband's phone- I had it display his # with a request to call- but, if it's really at the local police dept, I really could give a rat's butt. Hopefully I can fetch it early tomorrow, cross your fingers for me!

And I was able to cancel my order for the iPhone 4S super easily too, since I'd given up and ordered it yesterday. Double yay!
 

MissGotRocks

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
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Jun 23, 2005
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16,269
That is a wonderful ending to your story - SO happy for you! What a stroke of luck - you must be living right!! Ha!
 

luv2sparkle

Ideal_Rock
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Messages
7,950
Yeah, I am so glad for you LGK!! Send the lady who helped you flowers but please don't send the crooks flowers!!!! They are lucky
they didn't get thrown in jail. Sheesh. Houseguests my foot. Blame shifting I think it's called.

That is the best news. Here is dust to get your phone tomorrow! .* .*. *. *. *.*
 

ame

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jul 7, 2004
Messages
10,869
OH MY GOD! That is friggin awesome!!!!!! What a crock "houseguests". She just couldn't believe she got caught.
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
ame|1318383168|3038213 said:
OH MY GOD! That is friggin awesome!!!!!! What a crock "houseguests". She just couldn't believe she got caught.
I know right? :tongue: It kind of sounds like it was the exact same people my husband thought it was from the beginning- the elderly couple that had been sitting next to us that night. I'd showed up first, before either my husband or his wife was there, and he tried to flirt with me (ew, he was like 65) and apparently, partway through dinner, he disappeared. (And ditto my phone, though I didn't realize it at the time). And DH kept wondering why the woman who was still there kept staring at him. The police said it was an elderly couple that was at the address my phone registered. SO WEIRD.

I kept thinking all week of more, and more things I had lost on my phone- a bunch of recipes I'd scanned and saved, notes re: tax stuff, besides all the cat pics. I hope they left it intact! I know they definitely charged it, as it had about 10% left on the battery that night, and it was definitely on most of the time it was missing; there's no *way* it had enough juice left for three or four days of use.
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
WOW. You've had an eventful few weeks babe.

People baffle me. They really do. What possesses people to act that way? I'm so proud you were so proactive! And it was rewarded.

YAY for a good outcome.
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
Gypsy|1318388440|3038294 said:
WOW. You've had an eventful few weeks babe.

People baffle me. They really do. What possesses people to act that way? I'm so proud you were so proactive! And it was rewarded.

YAY for a good outcome.
Tell me about it, I'm ready for 2012 already please. For the remainder of the year, I'm considering wrapping everyone I love in bubble wrap.

I was strongly considering borrowing a friend's very large, tattooed and intimidating-looking husband to go down to knock on their door with me :tongue:

(Dust for you too! I hope your sucky-people issue resolves soon also.)
 

susimoo

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Jan 30, 2010
Messages
1,807
LGK,

I am late to the thread, sorry. Hey, but I got to read the happy ending!! Wow, that was one WEIRD story! :-o
I am so glad it is on it's way back to you.
Oh and I am with you as far as getting rid of 2011. It SUCKS!!!!

:wavey:
 

Gypsy

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 8, 2005
Messages
40,225
Thank you honey.
 

PositivelyPeanut

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
132
Awesome news, LGK! So happy for you!

And I agree...I'm ready for 2012. I'm sure it will be better for all (or someone's gonna have some 'splaining to do!). :)
 

LGK

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 27, 2007
Messages
2,975
iPhone retrieval was successful!

However I'm majorly confused as to what really happened. I think there's some major chunk of the story that wasn't communicated properly, or is just flat out missing.

First of all, the evidence guy at the local police station brings me my phone and it's locked- it says Disabled in a red banner on the top. He says I need to call Verizon and get it un-disabled to prove it's mine since there's no way to see the serial # with it locked like that.

Of course, it wasn't really disabled by Verizon. It had been plugged into a computer that wasn't associated with my iTunes account and that borked it up. So I was scratching my head as to how to prove it was mine. Finally I discovered it had popped up on Me again and I was able to print out a screenshot of the phone's location (the police station, now) to prove it was mine.

So when I picked it up again, Evidence Guy said it *had been dropped off* by "someone" at the police station about two blocks from me. Uh, what? How on God's green earth did they know to take it there? My address is nowhere to be found on the phone. They apparently told him they couldn't figure out who's phone it was so they took it to the police station, but wanted it back if it wasn't claimed.

So. Here's the weird. First, how did they know to take it *there*? I lost it three cities over, it spent a few days all the way at the other end of the state... and they drop it off two blocks away from me? WTF? And they said apparently they couldn't figure out how to find out who it belonged to- well, BS. I had it display a note with DH's phone # and a request to call if the phone was found for about 24 hours before I locked it down. And even if the text for some reason didn't display, why not turn it in to the place where, you know, it was "found"? Or leave a note saying "I found your iPhone, call with a description to claim" or what not? I know that wasn't the case, I called the restaurant twice. Or call the entry labelled "Mom" which is what I've done several times with lost phones at work, or the last called number or *something*.

And I'm pretty sure it did get taken off the bar, and that I didn't just leave it.

Frankly I think it was stolen, they took it home (across state) to try to use it, discovered it wasn't as easy as plug-n-play, and then sat on it awhile til the Vancouver police showed up at their door. Then who knows what happened- maybe they had someone take it to a random police station far from them that coincidentally was two blocks from me, or the Vancouver police sent it there with the third-hand story... or...? I don't know. One thing's for sure- it wasn't as simple as a lost phone.

Anyway, it's working fine now that I restored it, and I'm so incredibly happy to have it back! YAY PHONE! All my kitty pictures, now backed up on iCloud, all my recipes, all my text BS to my friends. :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :appl:
 

PositivelyPeanut

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Aug 31, 2011
Messages
132
Gawd, how weird. Sounds like one of those cases where you tell a secret to one person and, as it goes around the room, it dramatically changes so that it doesn't even remotely resemble the original secret at the end. If only the iPhone could talk... :)

Yay to having kitteh pics back!
 
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