Phone Been Nicked..

[Stevev]

Well,
My sister only went on holiday yesterday and today been the first full day there, she awoke to find they had been broken into.. During the night while they were asleep someone managed to break in and steal her phone and her money ( both the phone and money was on the dressing table beside the bed, so the creep who got in must have been within a few feet of her while she slept.) They "Only" managed to get about 40 Euros due to the rest of the money been in the safe at the reception desk.

The thing that has upset her the most tho is the fact that they took her phone, shes only had it about 3 weeks.. but it gets worse, the phone had a lot of pictures of our Nanna on it who only past on last month (God Bless Her) So it has massive sentimental value, and it was only last that week she transfered all the pics from her old phone to her new, and sold the old one on. So hopefully i can find a backup of the pictures.

I've tried ringing the phone but ofcourse theres no answer, i think they've removed the sim.
Now to my question, is there anyway the phone could be locked so the *person (I won't write what i think of them..) who stole it can't use it? or does the sim still have to be in the phone for it to be locked ?

Update :
Shes managed to get it back

Will find out later whats gonna happen to the guy who stole it

 

[Viper²]

Call the operator and give them the number (not phone number, a specific number on the phone and the box) and if the sim card is still in the phone, the phone and sim can be blocked.

 

[daz]

You need to give your mobile company/operator the IMEI number.

 

[Stevev]

I'll have to have a look around to see if i can find the box

 

[Kol]

Is she on holiday in another country? If so, they won't be able to block it, it will only be blocked on UK networks iirc?

 

[POB]

Phone or get the hotel to contact Police, then get a crime number or something and claim on travel insurance.

 

[Stevev]

Yep, shes over in Faliraki

It will only be blocked on UK networks iirc?

Hopefully they'll be able to lock the phone so its completely useless.

I'll give em' a ring when i find the box.

Phone or get the hotel to contact Police, then get a crime number or something and claim on travel insurance.

Shes currently down at the police station with the hotel rep, shes gonna give us a ring when shes done

 

[tuffty747]

You need to give your mobile company/operator the IMEI number.

Strange, I had my phone nicked on wednesday during an exam

Yeah, you have to ring the phone company, and they will stop the sim, and if you give them the IMEI number, the stop the phone as well, so both are useless.

 

[daz]

It is possible to change the IMEI on a phone to get it unblocked, but it is a *very* serious offence in this country.

 

[Energize]

It is possible to change the IMEI on a phone to get it unblocked, but it is a *very* serious offence in this country.

Indeed, shows you how bad the countries priorites are really, 5 years for in prison for that, while more serious crimes like theft get far less. In other countries it isn't an offence at all.

 

[peetee]

altering IMEI numbers IS a serious offense, a VERY serious one. It can be the tip of the iceberg for bigger crimes etc.
Theres a reason they are individual numbers assignemed to each mobile phone, for identification etc.

 

[daz]

Indeed, shows you how bad the countries priorites are really, 5 years for in prison for that, while more serious crimes like theft get far less. In other countries it isn't an offence at all.

Well it's usually connected to organised crime for the most part. The way it's seen is if you stop the ability for the phones to be re-used, less phones will get stolen/people mugged etc.

 

[Energize]

You say the same about mac codes and laptops getting nicked, yet changing a mac code isn't illegal. Modifying your own property should never be an offence. You can't go around making everything illegal because a criminal may use it for illegal purposes.

altering IMEI numbers IS a serious offense, a VERY serious one. It can be the tip of the iceberg for bigger crimes etc.

As much as a computer can be the tip of the iceburg for hacking, or a knife for stabbing someone.....

 

[daz]

There's no legitimate reason for changing an IMEI.

 

[yozzer2001]

if they block the imei in england all people do is send it abroard cause it aint blocked there

 

[peetee]

im fairly sure thats wrong. You might want to google what IMEI means, the first I stands for International.

 

[yak.h'cir]

im fairly sure thats wrong. You might want to google what IMEI means, the first I stands for International.

As I understand it there's some truth in both statements. When an IMEI is blocked several countries will block the IMEI (eventually), however not all countries bother to do this. I'd hazard a guess that most of Europe will probably block the phone, maybe Canada and the USA but I doubt anywhere else would be blocking them.

 

[peetee]

fair doos i acknowledge that point. Shouldnt be aloud but meh, im sure the less developed countries dont give a ****

 

[yak.h'cir]

I've just been on google trying to see if there's a list of places that do block handsets that where brought/stolen abroad but all I could find was guides for how to change the IMEI of the phone. If it's as easy as they suggest it is then there's probably not much point in any countries bothering to block them

 

[Stevev]

No need to get it blocked now, shes managed to get it back

Earlier when she told the rep, the rep had an idea who it might of been, so after they got back from police station they went and had a chat with the manager at the hotel. The manager took them to the room where the person suspected was staying, and let them in, as soon as the manager opened the door right infront of them on the table was her phone. They had to check the phone to see if it was actually my sisters, and it was, so the rep was straight onto the phone to the police who where waiting for him when he returned and arrested him.
He managed to use about £25 worth of her credit and delete all of her photos.. but i've found the backup photos for her phone so will put em' back on when she gets back home.
Not gonna find out until tomorrow what he's been charged for, hopefully they don't just give him a slap on the wrist..