So unfortunately last night it seems my wife's iphone 5 was stolen (taken out of bag while out). Odd thing was they took both the phone and her id but handed her id in at the bar?!

Anyway, the phone was quickly turned off by who ever! My wife unfortunately had not set a passcode even after lots of nagging! So I have gone into Find My iPhone on my phone and logged into her apple account and sent a lock request to the phone! Should i just send the wipe?? This will only work presumably if they turn it on again?

I have changed her email passwords, Facebook etc.... Should I be doing anything else?

Any advice welcomed!

Thanks

Dave

1.  Report the phone as stolen the network operator.  They will lock the IMEI (?) number so that phone won't be able to register on any UK network.

 

2.  Report the phone as stolen to the police.  if the ID was handed in at the bar, their might be some cctv footage.  Obviously the person who handed in the ID might not be the person who stole the phone.

 

3.  See if you have phone insurance (home policy, bank account, specific phone insurance) and raise a claim.

 

4.  Tell the wife to report to the kitchen/cleaners cupboard for cooking/cleaning duties..... (only kidding)

 

 

I wonder if the ID was stolen as it would show date of birth, which maybe people use as their passcode?!

Some Id thefts the thief simply takes a picture of it to use later and ditches the Id.

Starting to happen with card thefts too as police if they stop the thief they have nothing on them to be detained for, and the police can't examine the phone without a warrant

I'm sure with find my iPhone to can tell it to notify you the next time it's turned. Should contact you with a location. Also as other have said report it to the network so they can flag the IMEI number, to help stop it being recycled for the cash.

Thanks you everyone for your advice, we (I) have followed it all! Police called and got a crime number, been trying to get through to Three (been on the line an hour now) and checked and confirmed its covered on our home insurance! The wife used to work for the company we are insured with so only have a £25 excess on any claim :-D Oh and I phoned the club to make sure it hadn't been handed in (worth a try I guess)

 

The phone as not been turned on again yet and I have Find My iPhone setup ready to alert me if it comes online, which if i does I will just blat it! As everything is on the cloud so should be backed!

 

Thanks again - Wonder what she will get as a replacement as it was an iPhone 5.....will it be a 5C (like mine) or a 5S as they don't make the plain old 5 anymore!

Dave

Don't they just give you a voucher to take to a certain place - likely the apple store?

Keep on with 3 as unless you set a pin on your sim, someone could be racking up your bill and YOU will be fully liable for it!

Some networks will cover any charges or cap them, providing it's been reported to the police within a max of 3 hours of the theft.

There used to be a good thread with links on the MSE forums IIRC

Remember that once you have reported the  phone as stolen to Three, they will blocked the phone off the network, it won't be able to report its location using a 3g data service unless it is attached to a wifi network which has had its location information shared....

 

With Vodafone, you can report phones as stolen through the web portal, no idea about Three, but I would be surprised if you couldn't.  However that said I can only find a phone number (0843 373 3333) on their website.

Thanks everyone, really appreciate your advice and help - just goes to show there are nice people around who want to help and be kind!!

Just got through to Three and it's now blocked and useless to anyone apart from us!

As you say mbanes, it now won't have 3G so no mobile internet connection which kind of renders find my iphone useless!

Not sure what the insurance will do, will need to consult the wife as house insurance is her game! But you could be right, it maybe just a voucher for original invoice price (which we have) so will have to wait and see!

Thanks again all :-)

An expensive paperweight haha.

 

The next phone your wife gets NEEDS to have a passcode set up first and foremost.

 

It's best to keep valuables with you at ALL times, and be wary of thieves and pickpockets.

 

On a similar note, Kitten and I had our garage broken into Tuesday, and my Kona Blast mountain bike & 18v cordless hedge trimmers were stolen.  We seem to have been targeted by a TOTAL MORON, he missed my £480 Karcher sSeries 5 pressure washer.      

If bank cards were with the id contact banks and seek advice. Some may block and reissue just in case.

As they may also have your address review any security you have. Add locking sash jammers to any windows and patio doors, extra locks to others etc etc.

Plus keep an eye on your credit file.

Daughter and her friend both had their i phones lifted out of their handbags at a club in Liverpool on Halloween night.

 

Had a password, but hadn't lifted all her  thousand + photo's over the last  2years onto this 'cloud' thing that I've since been hearing about.

 

She was absolutely devastated. Reported to o2 to block it presumably.

Will they disable it completely rendering it useless to any poor hapless sod that buys it, or will the usual market unlocking trader soon get it back working again?

 

Scumbags!

Edited 6 November, 201312 yr by Mr Ree

Is there a function on the iPhone,if stolen, that screams at full belt when it's turned on again?

Once the IMEI number has blocked the phone won't work on any UK network, and I pretty sure your "market traders" can't reverse this.  What generally happens is that phone ends up abroad being used on a network where the IMEI number hasn't been blocked (China, India, etc).

Having fixed and sold several ipones with broken screens switches and speakers etc. I would hazard a guess that if this is in good condition they will simily buy a broke on cheap swap out the internals and bobs ya granny a working iphone to either sell or keep. They want their thieving little hands chopping off!

Once the IMEI number has blocked the phone won't work on any UK network, and I pretty sure your "market traders" can't reverse this.  What generally happens is that phone ends up abroad being used on a network where the IMEI number hasn't been blocked (China, India, etc).

It's easy to clone an IMEI and get a blocked phone working again.

It's easy to clone an IMEI and get a blocked phone working again.

 

Does that mean the donor phone ceases to work?  So basically:

1.  Steal an iPhone

2.  Buy a cheap ****ty £10 phone

3.  Clone IMEI into iPhone from cheapo phone

4.  Throw away donor phone

5.  Sell iPhone for $$$$

Pretty much

Good job I have a cheapo Windows phone.  I expect most thiefs would return it to me once they realised what they had taken 

Does that mean the donor phone ceases to work? So basically:

1. Steal an iPhone

2. Buy a cheap ****ty £10 phone

3. Clone IMEI into iPhone from cheapo phone

4. Throw away donor phone

5. Sell iPhone for $$$$

Basically yh, some of the dodgy High Street phone shops offer a 'trade in your stolen iPhone and £50 for a working iPhone in the same condition' service

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk