Stolen phone, Location discovered. What do I do?

matchboxyouth

Last Thursday night, I lost my phone but had 'Find my iPhone' set up on it, so when it was turned back on, I would receive a notification of its location and also there would be a number to contact me on to give it. It was turned on Friday afternoon, and I was given a location but never received a call, so I'm assuming who ever has it stole and their intentions are not give it back.

I went to the Gardai, but they say they can't call out to the house as its not enough evidence to warrant a search. Do I really have to give up on it just like that?

Franz Von Peppercorn

More Garda nonsense. When I lived in the U.K. the police retrieved the phone of a friend of mine using Find my phone.

naasrd

matchboxyouth wrote: »

Last Thursday night, I lost my phone but had 'Find my iPhone' set up on it, so when it was turned back on, I would receive a notification of its location and also there would be a number to contact me on to give it. It was turned on Friday afternoon, and I was given a location but never received a call, so I'm assuming who ever has it stole and their intentions are not give it back.

I went to the Gardai, but they say they can't call out to the house as its not enough evidence to warrant a search. Do I really have to give up on it just like that?

I had 2 Garda retrieve mine using Find My Phone. I signed into FMP on my wife's, and they went to the location she had agreed to meet them at to pay the "ransom" they asked for, when they got there I signaled the FMY alarm, they heard it and they got my phone off the scumbag.

if it hadn't've worked and I had the location, as you do now, then I'd've taken matters into my own hands...if you catch my drift?

matchboxyouth

At the moment I've had no contact whatsoever from them though? The phone is off. It was turned on once which gave me a location apparently and since then its been off.. Seeing as its locked its most likely been binned.

At this stage (a week today) I might have left action too late. I was considering sending a letter to the address and would hopefully be opened by the houseowner who would hopefully be the thiefs mother or father.. That might get a reaction from the parents knowing that I have their address to call me and say they have the phone. It's a long shot. But I can't exactly break the door down, all I can do is accept a no if I get one unfortunately.

monty_python

I don't think the GPS is that accurate. It could be in the house next door or across the street.

matchboxyouth

monty_python wrote: »

I don't think the GPS is that accurate. It could be in the house next door or across the street.

Thats what I figured.. I really don't have any type of proof and because they haven't turned it on since, they haven't given me much to go on.

IamMetaldave

monty_python wrote: »

I don't think the GPS is that accurate.  It could be in the house next door or across the street.

I dunno... I have checked my find my devices page and the GPS knows my iPad is at the back of my house and iPhone is at the front... and also can find my Mac too...

Get Real

I'd check out the address and see for yourself. But person could just say "nah, don't have it". It would be very hard to prove the accuracy of the location given. Could even depend on area of country/it's location to the nearest mast and even the weather.
Also, if the location turns out to be say, a house that is divided into flats, or an apartment building, then it's a lost cause as you can't exactly suspect every single unit in that building, on multiple floors.

Collibosher

monty_python wrote: »

I don't think the GPS is that accurate. It could be in the house next door or across the street.

A while back someone in our house lost their iphone on a night out. It showed up on find my iphone at an address in a nearby town at around 3am. Everytime they refreshed the location thing, it kept changing to a different house in the same estate, but skipped a street or two.

It was retrieved the following day from that estate, but I can see why the gardai would be reluctant to call to an address given the accuracy issues with built up areas.

On another occasion, a friends iphone went missing from her bag and turned up on the app at a remote rural location, and the gardai went to the house and retrieved it.

Eire Go Brach

Maybe try the guards again as it seems hit and miss. That one you went to seemed a bit of a pussy

matchboxyouth

Eire Go Brach wrote: »

Maybe try the guards again as it seems hit and miss. That one you went to seemed a bit of a pussy

I think at this stage its too late? It'll be 2 weeks On Thursday and it hasn't been on since I got the first notification

naasrd

Do you know any men? Elverys have a great selection of baseball bats, for recreational purposes only of course.

matchboxyouth

Well I was more than willing to go to the door and ask for it back.. But anything past that will only get me in unnecessary trouble... There's no point in getting arrested over a 200 euro phone, no matter how pissed off I am about it.

spurious

The genuis who ended up with my friend's stolen phone used it to post pictures of himself and his kids tagged with the location and all emailed to my friend. It took my friend a few visits and a lot of persistence, but he did get the guards to get it back for him.

matchboxyouth

I guess. Unfortunately I have nothing to go off in regards evidence except the screenshots below. They have not been foolish enough to use the phone or have it on. Plus it is now in lost mode, so essentially useless anyway.

*MOD SNIP*

KrakityJones

matchboxyouth wrote: »

I guess. Unfortunately I have nothing to go off in regards evidence except the screenshots below. They have not been foolish enough to use the phone or have it on. Plus it is now in lost mode, so essentially useless anyway.

I live near enough to there and not that you are considering it - but you might be best not knocking on any doors in that estate asking for your phone.

matchboxyouth

KrakityJones wrote: »

I live near enough to there and not that you are considering it - but you might be best not knocking on any doors in that estate asking for your phone.

So I've heard, you wouldn't be the first person who has said that to me unfortunately.

C3PO

Would it be worth dropping a note to that address offering a €50 reward if by "any chance you might have found my phone"? It's useless to them in it's current state!

washman3

KrakityJones wrote: »

I live near enough to there and not that you are considering it - but you might be best not knocking on any doors in that estate asking for your phone.

what kind of reception does the TV licence inspector get there....

matchboxyouth

C3PO wrote: »

Would it be worth dropping a note to that address offering a €50 reward if by "any chance you might have found my phone"? It's useless to them in it's current state!

Yes I was considering a similar tactic, which was a bit more forceful. I was considering sending a letter with the emails I received from Apple and a number to ring me on and perhaps mentioning contact to the guards. The hope would be that a parent figure in the house would open the letter and bring this matter up to the others in the house and retrieve the phone from whoever has it.

Of course, a reward might be a more optimistic way to retrieve it.

vinnycoyne

I think OP has enough advice now. Dealing with the Gardai is usually your safest route. Please don't post personal info, like addresses, to boards in future.