Stolen iTouch - Annoying!

NeilF

NeilF

NeilF

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Marlow
A friend of my son had his iTouch stolen. He was at a park, stupidly put it down, and saw an older kick walk up and take it. When he asked for it back the kid told him where to go and cycled off with it. Nice!


Anyway, what's really annoying here is:-
a) Even though it was password protected, all the thief has to do it hold down one button while turning it on, and he then has himself a nice clean iTouch ready to use.
b) Even though the device has a (unique) serial number which iTunes knows, and today it most likely plugged into someone else's PC via with iTunes, which talks to Apple's central computers, there's no way of see who's account now has it registered. That (new) account, which would have been used to wipe the device, would have an email, and probably personal details including maybe even a credit card! I guess there's no profit in Apple offering this service!

Shame...
 
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Did you have it signed up to iCloud? If so you can track it via Find My iPhone and even remote wipe it.
 
Can the kids parents not get the police involved? If he actually spoke to the guy he may be able to describe the rat. Then police can start asking other kids un the area.
 
opstrat said:
Can the kids parents not get the police involved? If he actually spoke to the guy he may be able to describe the rat. Then police can start asking other kids un the area.
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From the sounds of the OP, nobody would have seen it happening, so you have one word against another.
 
Take it on the chin tbh.

When I was a teenager, once I was having a kick about with my neighbor in the park. I had bought the ball from Argos that very day. Four older kids on bikes decided to just pick it up whilst we were playing. I asked for it back which they said no. I tried snatching it back but they jumped me (4 on 1 :rolleyes: my neighbor had run away at this point).

Naturally I told my mum. We couldn't do much. After that day I became more "street wise".
 
Surely you should be getting the Police involved.

Oh, and btw:

ipod-touch-20100511-222417.png
 
Valo said:
Did you have it signed up to iCloud? If so you can track it via Find My iPhone and even remote wipe it.
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I can find out if he had it signed up to iCloud.... But:-
1) I don't it will help you track an iTouch unless you have the appropriate app(s) on it?
2) Given it can be wiped quite simply by the press of a button (while turning it on), with the eager help of iTunes, without and risk of Apple spotting/identifying the stolen iTouch, that's exactly what's undoubtly been done. Hold a button, turn it on, iTunes wipes it... Done... iTunes could see if the serial number has been reported stolen and do something... but nope!
 
opstrat said:
Can the kids parents not get the police involved? If he actually spoke to the guy he may be able to describe the rat. Then police can start asking other kids un the area.
Click to expand...

The only way it could be progressed - as I see it - is if the kids who nicked it could be photographed. That photo could then be supplied to the 2-3 local schools and hopefully an ID returned and a chat with the parents organised.

Ultimately it would all be one word vs another... etc etc... and "oh my little darling Johny wouldn't do that! He's a little angel!"

I suspect it would all just be sinking a lot of effort into a (frustrating) lost cause :(
 
No more annoying than any other piece of technology that could have been stolen. You seem to be making out that Apple should have some technology to enable you to prevent anyone from stealing something or using a stolen item. It simply isn't the case with any piece of technology.

Maybe the family can claim on their insurance, get them to report it to the police for an incident number anyway.

And yes it is an iPod Touch, not an iTouch.
 
bsoltan said:
You seem to be making out that Apple should have some technology to enable you to prevent anyone from stealing something or using a stolen item.
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I'm not making out they should do anything new. The technology is there! The iTouch has a unique ID. You plug it into your PC via iTunes and iTunes then knows the serial number (and it does know it!), and then what does iTunes do? It contacts Apple HQ etc etc. So it's only a tiny leap to see if that serial number is reported stolen or not... No new technology, just a 10 character value being passed up to HQ and looked up on a database.
 
NeilFawcett said:
I'm not making out they should do anything new. The technology is there! The iTouch has a unique ID. You plug it into your PC via iTunes and iTunes then knows the serial number (and it does know it!), and then what does iTunes do? It contacts Apple HQ etc etc. So it's only a tiny leap to see if that serial number is reported stolen or not... No new technology, just a 10 character value being passed up to HQ and looked up on a database.
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What would anyone gain from doing this? Apple aren't interested becasue if someone does steal it then they could well end up spending money on Apps, it is also a lot of effort to go to to block a device that will just go in a landfill.
The person that it belonged to doesn't gain anything as to them the device is already gone, what does it matter what someone does with it?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526

edit:
Also it isn't just about profit, it is about having a system that could be open to abuse. How do Apple know that you haven't sold this device to the person. They they get online and start to set it up and their personal info is sent to you? The device gets automatically blocked?

While yes it would be nice to have an easy way to get back stolen property, unfortunately it does have its obsticals. Children should be taught to take better care of their posessions.
 
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I think there is no harm at going to your local station and making a Police Report, especially if your child can describe the offender.

As others have said, its hardly huge Police business and he might not ever get it back, but there is a chance the kid is known the Police. Plus they might even say that if you see him again, give us a call... etc.
 
bsoltan said:
What would anyone gain from doing this? Apple aren't interested becasue if someone does steal it then they could well end up spending money on Apps, it is also a lot of effort to go to to block a device that will just go in a landfill.
The person that it belonged to doesn't gain anything as to them the device is already gone, what does it matter what someone does with it?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2526
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I see what you're saying but I think you've only hit half the nail on the head.

The individual(s) who steal these things, what do you think it the more appealing scenario to them:-
1) Steal one. Press a button on it and wipe it with the help of iTunes. Sell it on ebay. £XX profit.
2) Steal one. Press a button on it but risk the unit being spotted as stolen in iTunes. Sell it on fleebay. Buyer finds its reported as stolen in iTunes.

(2) Has some difficulty/risk and in that is a bit of a deterrent don't you think? It also offers some method for a recovered stolen unit to be returned to the true owner. ie: The serial number = report by true owner of its theft.


As regards that option to report the item lost via Apple, if the unit has been wiped it won't work will it (ie: the iCloud connection is gone?). As wiping it allows the thief to get around the password and have a nice empty unit by the press of a single button, that's surely what will happen? I'll forward that link onto the boy's parents though! Thanks!
 
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Malevolence said:
It's theft (or is it robbery?), are they not duty bound to something?
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Doesn't mean much can be done / will be done.

Without trying to seem to cynical often the police are absolutely useless. It's not their fault, but either through their hands being tied or it not worth their time they may well not be able to help.

At the very least report it but don't expect too much.
 
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