found an Apple Watch how do I find the owner

[crzdcolombian]

I found an Apple Watch in my parents apartment building.

Charged it, it has a red dot so I think that means its cellular.. Apple store near me is closed because of Covid.... Any other options? Don't want to just place it on the floor again or put a sign on their door saying found expensive item. Did you lose it.

 

[Shirasaki]

That red dot means there’s a notification. You can poke around and see if it has a passcode. If not, then you can poke around even more to find contacts info etc. If yes, then maybe leave it somewhere at your home and contact Apple online for some suggestions.

I’m also kinda shocked that your parents owns a whole apartment building somehow. :O

 

[0128672]

You should take it to the local police department who will log the serial number. Then you could perhaps put up a sign by the apartment mailboxes (if they are indoors) to contact the police department. Apple can't help with lost or stolen devices other than explain how to use Find My, Mark as Lost, remote erase, etc., and advises users to go through local law enforcement.

Find your lost iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

If you lost your iPhone or iPad, use Find My to find it and put it in Lost Mode to protect your personal information.

support.apple.com

 

[crzdcolombian]

yes... I lost my AirPods or they got stolen. Apple was not helpful at all nor the police. Was hoping the watch had better tracking but who knows when this person lost it. It has a password lock. I am just going to put it on top of the mailboxes.

 

[Shirasaki]

yes... I lost my AirPods or they got stolen. Apple was not helpful at all nor the police. Was hoping the watch had better tracking but who knows when this person lost it. It has a password lock. I am just going to put it on top of the mailboxes.

If the owner does not use any tracking feature on their iPhone or the watch happens to be a wifi version, when the battery runs out, it is dead. You can check that watch out every now and then and try to charge it, put it on the top of mailbox again when battery is full, rinse and repeat for a little bit. Hopefully the owner will eventually realise it not too distant to the future.

 

[Significant1]

Check if the owner have added emergency info. Hold the side button down and select emergency info from the power menu.

 

[crzdcolombian]

Went to Apple. They said because it’s locked and the person didn’t put emergency contact to it. That they will just throw it away. That’s insane for a $400+ item

 

[Apple_Robert]

Went to Apple. They said because it’s locked and the person didn’t put emergency contact to it. That they will just throw it away. That’s insane for a $400+ item

Bad situation. However, better than a criminal profiting off it.

 

[44267547]

Local law-enforcement will do nothing with that Apple Watch. They don’t have the time or resources to help find the owner of a lost Apple Watch. All they will do is turn it into ‘found property’ into evidence storage and then if it’s not claimed within a year (Typically), it’s purged/destroyed.

 

[wackymacky]

Went to Apple. They said because it’s locked and the person didn’t put emergency contact to it. That they will just throw it away. That’s insane for a $400+ item

Rather than “throw it away”, perhaps someone in the shop will reset it to factory settings and keep it.

 

[anodibu]

You can put a sign that you found a watch (don’t say more) and your contact details. If someone contact you, ask them to describe the watch. If they can say it’s an Apple Watch of the right size, finish and band, you probably found the owner.

 

[perezr10]

I always activate the Emergency Info function in case I get hit by a car while out running. But it’s also great way for people to locate the owner of an Apple watch or phone.

But due to privacy issues, I can see where Apple is hesitant to give out contact info without first getting permission from the owner.

 

[crzdcolombian]

Rather than “throw it away”, perhaps someone in the shop will reset it to factory settings and keep it.

I put it on top of the mail box and put found iPhone. Useless without the access code. Someone took it so no longer my problem. Hope it was the owner as its basically a brick