Stolen iPhone 4's

skimpydoo

I have had 2 iPhone 4's stolen from me in the last 4 weeks. I was mugged on Amien Street last Wednesday when my last phone was stolen. Both phones had the latest ios 4.31 and were blocked by o2. I am not sure if they can still be used but if anyone sees an iPhone 4 for sale without a box don't buy as chances are its stolen.

I do know that both my phones ended up with the same gang of thieving bastards and I even know the name of the prick who mugged me last week. I know that naming and shaming will do no good but I feel so tempted.

Has anyone else had iphones stolen and had you any joy in getting them back?.

Yakult

Sorry to hear about that! Serious amount of iPhones are being robbed, I've been offered numerous iPhones over the last year from some dodgy folk, obviously refusing as they are clearly stolen. Half tempted to report them but again, what would the AGS do about it?

skimpydoo

If you report them, you can get the gangs arrested. It's got to the stage that if I do manage to replace my iPhone I will be very scared to have it out in public in case it gets stolen again.

Yakult

One of the reasons why I dont want one tbh, too much attention sometimes. Had one for a week and I was weary of whipping it out in public

IamMetaldave

Ronan Leonard wrote: »

If you report them, you can get the gangs arrested.

No you can't. I rang the Garda after my iPhone was stolen from me, I gave them and address where it was and everything. And they said they'd need to go to a judge to sign a warrant etc, but said they wouldn't. And did absolutely nothing about it. I received a letter a few weeks later from the Garda saying they had an active case open and were looking in to it. Yeah, sure.

notahappycamper

Just saw this: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/garda-operation-launched-as-dublin-gang-target-iphone-owners-499594.html

whiterebel

notahappycamper wrote: »

Just saw this: http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/garda-operation-launched-as-dublin-gang-target-iphone-owners-499594.html

Doing it on bail and while breaking curfew......typical:mad:

ironclaw

MobileMe & http://www.gadgettrak.com/

Worth the money on all accounts.

String

Do you have the find iPhone app installed?

Sad Professor

In addition to Find My iPhone (which is free if you have a iPhone 4 or iPad), everyone should also have the passcode lock enabled with it set to erase the phone after 10 tries. It means that if your iPhone is stolen at least your personal info is safe.

skimpydoo

IamMetaldave wrote: »

No you can't. I rang the Garda after my iPhone was stolen from me, I gave them and address where it was and everything. And they said they'd need to go to a judge to sign a warrant etc, but said they wouldn't. And did absolutely nothing about it. I received a letter a few weeks later from the Garda saying they had an active case open and were looking in to it. Yeah, sure.

If you knew the address where it was go round there with a few mates and hurley sticks.
The guards know who robbed my second phone and of course he is denying it. They have a hoodie which he wore when he mugged me but wont go CSI and anyalyse it for dna etc to see if it's his as they say cost is an issue. If they can get him then he is a link in the chain to other guys who are robbing with him.

It sickens me that these scum can get bail and go on another robbing spree. I had the mobilme app on both phones but by the time I got home to track the phones they had turned the phones off.

IamMetaldave when your phone was taken did they ring a skype number from your phone at least 5 or 6 times. They did with my phones and that number linked up to my voice mail. Sad thing is nobody will help me trace the owner of this number.

skimpydoo

ironclaw wrote: »

MobileMe & http://www.gadgettrak.com/

Worth the money on all accounts.

That looks like a great product. Wish I had put it on my iphone.

Wh1skeyjack

ironclaw wrote: »

MobileMe & http://www.gadgettrak.com/

Worth the money on all accounts.

http://preyproject.com/

Does the same as gadgettrak, and is free! iPhone version in the works, but I have it installed on my laptop

IamMetaldave

Ronan Leonard wrote: »

If you knew the address where it was go round there with a few mates and hurley sticks.

IamMetaldave when your phone was taken did they ring a skype number from your phone at least 5 or 6 times. They did with my phones and that number linked up to my voice mail. Sad thing is nobody will help me trace the owner of this number.

Ha! Yeah and knowing the way the law works in this country I'd be the one put in prison and the d1ckheads that robbed my phone would be free.

I had my phone pin coded so they could not access anything on it or make calls. I also the the IMEI number so I killed the phone on the Sunday when I knew it wasn't going to reappear on my mobileme account.

Have to say, I wouldn't go as far as not use my phone in public, but I'm very aware of who's around me when I do. The guys that pickpocketed my first iPhone 4 were total pros and were not Irish, I remember the guy's face. All done in a split second over a conversation about who was taking a particular taxi at the bottom of Grafton st, just up Suffolk St (where the 5 cameras at the bottom of Grafton St have no view of what's happening).

howamidifferent

This may be off topic so apologies in advance but I thought all modern smartphones could be disabled permanently by the carrier O2 , 3, vodafone etc...Not the sim or number but the actual hardware of the iphone etc... Is this not the case? Can these people actually sell the devices on as working phones to anyone who will buy a stolen phone or do they sell them quick before an operator disables the device permanently thus leaving the new buyer with a brick??

IamMetaldave

howamidifferent wrote: »

This may be off topic so apologies in advance but I thought all modern smartphones could be disabled permanently by the carrier O2 , 3, vodafone etc...Not the sim or number but the actual hardware of the iphone etc... Is this not the case? Can these people actually sell the devices on as working phones to anyone who will buy a stolen phone or do they sell them quick before an operator disables the device permanently thus leaving the new buyer with a brick??

The number you are talking about is the IMEI number and when it is blocked it only blocks the phones from working on Irish networks, once you move the phone out of Ireland it will work again. I often wonder why all the networks don't share this info across the board, it would have a major impact on phone theft. Although the scum that steal them are hardly going to mention to the person buying it that it's not going to work.

jathclare

My phone was also stolen recently on amiens street outside the busy bean cafe and a colleague of mine was attacked (unsuccessfully) on amiens street yesrerday too. I got a slap in the ear from behind and the phone was grabbed from my hand, I thought it was a friend having a joke! I chased the thief into the foley street flats but he dropped it with some spongers who denied having it. I went back twice to them to ask for it back, even offered money. The 2nd time they became very aggresive and I gave up, its not worth it.

I thought the garda follow up was very good, they even came to my office to see the mobile me satelite photo showing exactly where it was (it didnt help, 4 possible addresses).

I have told everyone I know with Iphones to just keep them hidden in public or unless they are in a safe place or in company. The real problem is that the stolen phones are being sold, if the market wasn't there the scumbags wouldnt bother stealing them.

pcbscott

The irony of the advert in this thread.

Raskolnikov

That whole Connolly station area is just a thieving hotspot. I was supposed to be meeting someone at the intersection of Amiens and Talbot - he didn't turn up and his phone was off. Was cheesed off at the time because of the no-show, although I soon forgave him when he called later that night saying that not only was his Iphone nicked, but his Ipad was too! Having said that, the guy should have known better, he was using the Ipad while waiting for me. When knacks approached, they snatched it, then demanded his phone (probably knew anyone with an Ipad would have a good phone too!).

Moral of the story is to keep your phone in your pocket if you're in any area remotely dodgy!

howamidifferent

Again, this is what I have trouble understanding
These scum steal an iphone, users calls operator and has phone disabled (even if only in Ireland), scumbag needs to sell phone...what shop or user will buy a phone (even if they were knowingly buying a stolen phone) if it no longer works???? Does this imply that EVERY stolen iPhone leaves on a boat for Europe or that someone somewhere is re-enabling them for use 100 yards down the road...What's that market? Who buys this stuff and why?

It's confusing being honest...

ironclaw

howamidifferent wrote: »

Again, this is what I have trouble understanding
These scum steal an iphone, users calls operator and has phone disabled (even if only in Ireland), scumbag needs to sell phone...what shop or user will buy a phone (even if they were knowingly buying a stolen phone) if it no longer works???? Does this imply that EVERY stolen iPhone leaves on a boat for Europe or that someone somewhere is re-enabling them for use 100 yards down the road...What's that market? Who buys this stuff and why?

It's confusing being honest...

Why block a phone thats going to make your revenue? If a cheapy phone is stolen and blocked, no big deal. However if an iPhone is stolen, its most likely going to be bought and used with data. So the phone as a revenue earner is much more valuable for the network.

IMEI blocking is a joke as it can be easily circumvented and I'm pretty sure none of the networks share / implement the data. As a result, its pointless. The market is huge. If a thief gets even €200 from Gumtree or eBay for a device worth €600, its a good day out. The buyer doesn't care as they get a nice phone for half nothing. This isn't going to stop while the demand is there.

MobileME
GadgetTrak

And as some users suggest, the passcode that wipes the phone after 10 attempts. Personally I feel iPhone users should be allowed bar a phone as the owner with Apple. Just have an air tight process for doing it. If the user / criminal couldn't sync with iTunes / update the iPhone market would quickly dry up. That or the ability to completely block / disable the phone from MobileMe which would actually be fairly easy to do.

I'm surprise that you couldn't get the address in greater detail by the way. Is it still active or gone?

barryd09

IamMetaldave wrote: »

The number you are talking about is the IMEI number and when it is blocked it only blocks the phones from working on Irish networks, once you move the phone out of Ireland it will work again. I often wonder why all the networks don't share this info across the board, it would have a major impact on phone theft. Although the scum that steal them are hardly going to mention to the person buying it that it's not going to work.

so my phone,stolen in spain no longer works in ireland,but it will in spain?
Yaaaaaa,like that was one bit of help really.**** sake,all the networks should be water tight regarding this.

ironclaw

barryd09 wrote: »

so my phone,stolen in spain no longer works in ireland,but it will in spain?
Yaaaaaa,like that was one bit of help really.**** sake,all the networks should be water tight regarding this.

Unlikely. I guarantee if you recovered it, it would work in Ireland. Maybe not your own network, but certainly on one of the other three.

Just reading this , and this makes me really mad but i work in this area, about 5 30 i was coming out of my office and my misses was in the car. I got into the car and she told me that 2 guys just robbed a girl in front of her car 2 minutes before hand .

A taxi driver came to the rescue picked up the girl who was shaken.

We were driving back and headed up pearse street when my girlfriend noticed the 2 guys walking down it. So she stopped the car , i ran into the garda station . I told them a girl had just been mugged but the guys are out side.

They told me there was nothing they could do as they dont have anybody to persue. I said you are here there are 4 guys in the back.

They told me that its the garde out on the road that need to do this and they are all busy right now. But they will put a call in and let them know .

they left it at that . They didnt ask for a description they just wanted me out of there.

2 weeks later a colligue was mugged in the same place .

barryd09

was reading in the Evening Hearld last week or the week before that SUPPOSEDLY theres a unit dedicated to iphone crime in Dublin now?
I find it hard to believe myself...

Best advice is keep the thing in your pocket.On silent.Beside your knife.

rivalius13

Sad Professor wrote: »

In addition to Find My iPhone (which is free if you have a iPhone 4 or iPad), everyone should also have the passcode lock enabled with it set to erase the phone after 10 tries. It means that if your iPhone is stolen at least your personal info is safe.

I'm worried what drunk me would do though...

barryd09

i didnt have a passcode on mine when stolen,wont ever make that mistake again.
its annoying as **** having to enter it all the time but its piece of mind.

just how secure is the passcode though really?
there was a glitch in an earlier iOS version that let you bypass it.

Battleflag

Jesus I would never have thought of scum coming up to you when having the iPhone in hand. Thankfully not in Dublin but still worth knowing

Sad Professor

rivalius13 wrote: »

I'm worried what drunk me would do though...

You'd have to be pretty bad to enter it incorrectly 10 times. But even if you did, you could just restore your data via iTunes when you got home.

Also, you can set the passcode to only come on after a set amount of time. That way you don't have to enter it every single time.