I had the misfortune of having my 16GB Wi-Fi iPad stolen this afternoon. Does the iPad have a serial number or other digital fingerprint that might make it possible to track or trace the location of this property? Is there a way to brick this unit so as to secure private information and data? Of less consequence, is there any way to redownload or receive a refund for purchased apps or content which has not been backed up to my laptop (about $20 worth). How useful is this iPad going to be to the beneficiary of the theft?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPad Theft - Recourse
- Thread starter endurance777
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Mobileme would have let you find its location and remote wipe it. I guess you dont have mobileme though because you wouldnt have been asking those questions.
I think allot of people take mobileme for granted it really is useful.
Not sure about the refund/repurchases.
I think allot of people take mobileme for granted it really is useful.
Not sure about the refund/repurchases.
apps are attached to the iTunes account and not to the device. You'll be fine for that. Sorry for iPad though.
I'm sorry for your loss.
How was it lost or stolen? Maybe you can help prevent this from happening to us.
How was it lost or stolen? Maybe you can help prevent this from happening to us.
Check craigslist fast. I've seen these things happen a lot but sometimes you get lucky if you see a "need to sell quick" ad on CL. Also you should try calling apple and find out if any more transactions have or can be made with this ipad. Good luck and btw i just saw a 350$ ipad on cl in my area...pm me if you live in VA
Thanks for the suggestions
Thanks for the suggestions. I spoke with Apple Care this morning. They were very understanding, but stated that unless there is a warrant or other legal challenge that Apple will not register the iPad as stolen. Too many privacy issues and other entanglements to worry about I guess. So it sounds like someone could re-register the iPad under a new name and there is really no recourse for me. I was happy to learn that all App Store purchases can be re-downloaded, but disappointed to learn that unbacked up iTunes content (video and audio stuff purchased since my last sync) is not recoverable. Not a huge loss. As I told my wife, no irreplaceable pictures. I still have my job. I still have my health. And it wasnt an unreleased prototype. As for circumstances related to the loss, it was a case of my 5 year old playing with it in the back seat of the car and after a quick stop at Blockbuster Video it was gone (I know, what was I thinking - Blockbuster Video). Could have just fallen out the door when my 5 year hopped out. Im a computer science teacher, so a good anecdotal lesson for my students on the importance of taking some preventative action in securing mobile assets. I didnt even have it labeled. I took this thing across the country, all the way to Mackinac Island and back with my 8 year old, and I lose it at the video store 3 blocks from my house. Thanks again for the kind words. Maybe someone in the Menifee California area reading this post will realize they may have purchased stolen goods.
Thanks for the suggestions. I spoke with Apple Care this morning. They were very understanding, but stated that unless there is a warrant or other legal challenge that Apple will not register the iPad as stolen. Too many privacy issues and other entanglements to worry about I guess. So it sounds like someone could re-register the iPad under a new name and there is really no recourse for me. I was happy to learn that all App Store purchases can be re-downloaded, but disappointed to learn that unbacked up iTunes content (video and audio stuff purchased since my last sync) is not recoverable. Not a huge loss. As I told my wife, no irreplaceable pictures. I still have my job. I still have my health. And it wasnt an unreleased prototype. As for circumstances related to the loss, it was a case of my 5 year old playing with it in the back seat of the car and after a quick stop at Blockbuster Video it was gone (I know, what was I thinking - Blockbuster Video). Could have just fallen out the door when my 5 year hopped out. Im a computer science teacher, so a good anecdotal lesson for my students on the importance of taking some preventative action in securing mobile assets. I didnt even have it labeled. I took this thing across the country, all the way to Mackinac Island and back with my 8 year old, and I lose it at the video store 3 blocks from my house. Thanks again for the kind words. Maybe someone in the Menifee California area reading this post will realize they may have purchased stolen goods.
I went through the same thing yesterday. Foolish mistake cost me my iPad. I had taken it everywhere, even to Hawaii for a week. But yesterday at the grocery store I left it in the cart. Got home, returned and it was gone. Still hopeful that whoever got it will return it, but probably not. It's just too easy to reregister them. I only hope it was someone who really needed the money.
MobileMe is no help unless you have the tracking app loaded. And even then I think once the machine has been reset to someone else's iTunes, it cannot be tracked.
Ah, well, like you said, nothing irreplaceable and I still have my job. It was an oddly emotional loss for me though.
MobileMe is no help unless you have the tracking app loaded. And even then I think once the machine has been reset to someone else's iTunes, it cannot be tracked.
Ah, well, like you said, nothing irreplaceable and I still have my job. It was an oddly emotional loss for me though.
So does that mean if you file a police report that apple will register the iPad as stolen? I'm just wondering because the insurance company that offers theft insurance will only honor if a police report is filed...wondering if it is the same for apple.
I was at a musical concert and I had my iPad in my backpack. It was dark and everyone was looking at the stage. A thief went into my backpack and stole my iPad, I didn't feel a thing. Very slick.
I certainly understand why Apple does not want to get involved with stolen property, but I think they should build the tracking and remote wipe functionality into all iTunes for free. Now that Apple knows what it feels like to be stolen from, I'd think they would want to help out. I understand they want to sell their MobileMe, but I think the wipe feature should be free. If they really wanted to be mercenary they could offer a post theft wipe option. At this point I'd gladly pay a hundred bucks to have my iPad wiped remotely.
I certainly understand why Apple does not want to get involved with stolen property, but I think they should build the tracking and remote wipe functionality into all iTunes for free. Now that Apple knows what it feels like to be stolen from, I'd think they would want to help out. I understand they want to sell their MobileMe, but I think the wipe feature should be free. If they really wanted to be mercenary they could offer a post theft wipe option. At this point I'd gladly pay a hundred bucks to have my iPad wiped remotely.
The hospital in my area is using them for heath records, and they are all laser engraved with the hospital name making them unsaleable by thieves. I have been contemplating doing this myself as well, but there has been some talk about it voiding the warranty.
It also doesn't really do much for stopping thieves either. I've seen plenty of engraved iPods for sale. I'm sure iPads would be the same. If a buyer can get $X off because it has an engraving on it and they are planning on putting it in a case anyway they probably would. (i'm not generalizing all people here...but I do know that some people that would have no problem buying a stolen and engraved iPad if it meant a large discount. And a lot of people who buy stolen merchandise don't feel like they are doing anything wrong since they aren't the ones doing the stealing and they "don't know" it is stolen when they buy it)
Many credit cards (including both the Mastercard and the Visa that I use) have product assurance built into the policy. That includes theft protection. If you purchased your iPad on a credit card, they may simply replace it for you. I had this happen with a laptop last year...
It's really hard to tell these days, honestly. How would you know something on eBay or Craigslist is stolen?
There have been times I've put my own stuff up for cheap to get it out the door quickly, and even specified that I wanted to make a sale as soon as possible.
Reminds of the time I wanted to buy a TV at Best Buy as quickly as possible because I had a $20/hr rented truck outside. I made the mistake of telling them I was in a huge hurry which is apparently generally a keyword for fraud so the transaction took like a half hour.
Sorry about your loss OP.
wow, that's an interesting story!
Just check out your terms of your credit cards, AMEX has some of the best deals on that stuff
Sorry for your iPad OP
What country are you in? In some countries, stolen/lost phones can be blacklisted so nobody can use them anymore, but this isn't the case in the US. Also, doesn't apply to iPads since it's not a phone.
Remote wipe just wipes data off your lost device, it doesn't prevent the person who has it from restoring it with iTunes and using it.
You guys are taking a lost/stolen iPad in stride. I remember last month a thread on here, the young kid was freaking out.
Personally if I'm taking an iPad with me it doesn't leave my hands. No backpack, no leaving in car, no leaving on counter or cart in grocery store.
Nonetheless good luck getting it back.
Personally if I'm taking an iPad with me it doesn't leave my hands. No backpack, no leaving in car, no leaving on counter or cart in grocery store.
Nonetheless good luck getting it back.
Ah, good to know. But the poster I was responding to was claiming Apple had blacklisted a lost/stolen iPhone - which can't happen in the US.
I am never without my iPad. That said, I discovered that I didn't have it at my side. I quickly found a Macintosh logged onto Mobile Me in a panic. Quickly I tried to identify the building. It turned out to be the parking garage. I'd used it for Maps and had left it between the seats. Relief!
Sorry for the loss, but it doesn't appear anyone has answered the 2nd question in terms of apps.
If you bought the apps on the iPad and then synced it to iTunes, those apps and anything else purchased should have been transfered into your iTunes library ready for resyncing if/when you get a new device.
If you have only used the iPad to download apps and haven't synced it in a while, you're pretty must screwed unless you could talk to someone in the Apple Store (a Genius) and ask if they have the option to redownload apps. You do after all have the email receipts (you kept these right?) or your purchase history on your iTunes Store account.
Let us know how you get on
pac
If you bought the apps on the iPad and then synced it to iTunes, those apps and anything else purchased should have been transfered into your iTunes library ready for resyncing if/when you get a new device.
If you have only used the iPad to download apps and haven't synced it in a while, you're pretty must screwed unless you could talk to someone in the Apple Store (a Genius) and ask if they have the option to redownload apps. You do after all have the email receipts (you kept these right?) or your purchase history on your iTunes Store account.
Let us know how you get on
pac
just download through iTunes. it will say you already bought it and you can download again for free