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iPhone 5 stolen - best step to take?

K

KoolAid-Drink

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Sep 18, 2013
1,879
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USA
So...unfortunately, tonight, my iPhone 5 was stolen :(

Tried 'find my iPhone', thugs must've turned off the iPhone, because it's offline. I put the iPhone in lost mode, along with a message. However, should I erase the iPhone or just leave it in lost mode? Not sure what the best step to take is.

The good thing is, it's iOS 7 (7.0.4), so it's absolutely tied to my Apple ID. Useless. And, I don't think those thugs who stole the iPhone are smart enough to jailbreak the iPhone. So, erase or leave in Lost Mode?

What an awful night.

Thanks!
 
KoolAid-Drink said:
So...unfortunately, tonight, my iPhone 5 was stolen :(

Tried 'find my iPhone', thugs must've turned off the iPhone, because it's offline. I put the iPhone in lost mode, along with a message. However, should I erase the iPhone or just leave it in lost mode? Not sure what the best step to take is.

The good thing is, it's iOS 7 (7.0.4), so it's absolutely tied to my Apple ID. Useless. And, I don't think those thugs who stole the iPhone are smart enough to jailbreak the iPhone. So, erase or leave in Lost Mode?

What an awful night.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I am sorry! iPhone thieves are a disgrace! I would highly recommend you do a remote wipe. You're not getting the phone back, might as well protect your data. With activation lock, that phone is useless unless it's gutted.
 
But it says the erase would prevent the phone being tracked on iCloud/Find my iPhone? Look at the screenshot below... the detective and cops suggested I wait a day or two and see if the iPhone would reappear.

I'm confused :confused:

Aylan said:
I am sorry! iPhone thieves are a disgrace! I would highly recommend you do a remote wipe. You're not getting the phone back, might as well protect your data. With activation lock, that phone is useless unless it's gutted.
Click to expand...
 

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Rip koolaid's iphone.. They will most likely sold for parts or try to craigslist it and scam an innocent yet dumb buyer who doesn't realize it's locked and linked id ready.. Smh
 
How do you know? With due respect, the detective and cops did seem somewhat positive that they may be able to track down the iPhone, and they did get my Apple ID and password to track down the iPhone itself, so they may have some kind of special system?

Also, we live in an area with many robberies, so it may be possible that they know where/how to find suspected robberies?

T5BRICK said:
Wipe it. You aren't getting it back.
Click to expand...
 
It seems to me that if your phone has a passcode or better yet long password set on it, you would do better not to wipe the phone - at least you have a small chance you may find its location later, and practically no chance that the thief can break into it...
 
KoolAid-Drink said:
How do you know? With due respect, the detective and cops did seem somewhat positive that they may be able to track down the iPhone, and they did get my Apple ID and password to track down the iPhone itself, so they may have some kind of special system?

Also, we live in an area with many robberies, so it may be possible that they know where/how to find suspected robberies?
Click to expand...

Getting a stolen phone back is very rare. It is very likely that the thief has already taken the phone apart and stripped the parts that have any value.
 
I live in the ghetto, so having the thief take apart the iPhone - let alone knowing how - seems a bit low. I could be naive, though. This is a completely new experience to me, though. Never had an iPhone stolen before.

Any ideas how I could try to get AT&T to give me the fully discounted upgrade? Plead? My upgrade doesn't clear until Jan. 2015 and I'm on a somewhat tight budget :(

T5BRICK said:
Getting a stolen phone back is very rare. It is very likely that the thief has already taken the phone apart and stripped the parts that have any value.
Click to expand...
 
KoolAid-Drink said:
I live in the ghetto, so having the thief take apart the iPhone - let alone knowing how - seems a bit low. I could be naive, though. This is a completely new experience to me, though. Never had an iPhone stolen before.
Click to expand...

I've never had mine stolen either, but stolen cars often go in recovered too. Or when it finally does show up, there isn't much left. Anyway, it's pretty easy to find a how-to online to take apart just about anything.

Any ideas how I could try to get AT&T to give me the fully discounted upgrade? Plead? My upgrade doesn't clear until Jan. 2015 and I'm on a somewhat tight budget :(
Click to expand...

Maybe check out the new shared data plans? If you're already on one, you might be able to switch to Next.
 
I'm on a special plan due to being Deaf, so... that makes the situation a bit more sticky. :(

T5BRICK said:
I've never had mine stolen either, but stolen cars often go in recovered too. Or when it finally does show up, there isn't much left. Anyway, it's pretty easy to find a how-to online to take apart just about anything.



Maybe check out the new shared data plans? If you're already on one, you might be able to switch to Next.
Click to expand...
 
General question - is it generally easier and more successful calling AT&T to plead your case, or going to a brick and mortar store in person?
 
Update:

I went to an AT&T store in person and was helped by a very nice gentleman, who was able to give me a brand-spanking new 5s at the fully discounted price ($199), even though I was only halfway through my 2-year contract. Very impressed and grateful. It's a bit weird going down to 16gb from 32gb, but I can always move stuff from my phone to my computer. My stolen 5 is still being traced and is on Find my iPhone, and I'm currently in touch with a detective, so let's see what happens. I'm also scouring Craigslist to see if somehow, it turns up. If, in the very slim chance my 5 is recovered, I'll just sell it on Glyde for what it is worth. Let's hope it's not physically damaged if it does turn up!

Thanks for the help, everyone.
 
That's good to know.. I have heard nice experiences about Apple service. Did you have to sign a new contract or just continuing the existing?

16GB is not really tiny, is just about sufficient, unless you install many things.
 
It was at the AT&T store, not the Apple store. Extended the contract to 2 years later.

gaanee said:
That's good to know.. I have heard nice experiences about Apple service. Did you have to sign a new contract or just continuing the existing?

16GB is not really tiny, is just about sufficient, unless you install many things.
Click to expand...
 
KoolAid-Drink said:
It was at the AT&T store, not the Apple store. Extended the contract to 2 years later.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the loss just curious how did it get stolen? Also just for future reference we never think about these things before its too late, the best bet is to always keep a passcode and Find My Phone turned to on and we should be safe as far as compromised data?
 
bobright said:
the best bet is to always keep a passcode and Find My Phone turned to on and we should be safe as far as compromised data?
Click to expand...

Yes, and set "Erase Data" on so there's a ten-try limit on the passcode before it wipes the device.
 
bobright said:
Sorry about the loss just curious how did it get stolen? Also just for future reference we never think about these things before its too late, the best bet is to always keep a passcode and Find My Phone turned to on and we should be safe as far as compromised data?
Click to expand...

I believe op said it was ripped from his hands.
 
bobright said:
If we set that option to erase data would we would no longer be able to track it when that happens?
Click to expand...

Probably so. Gotta choose which is more important to you; preserving a minuscule chance of regaining the device or ensuring any data gets wiped.
 
At this point, I think you should just erase it to hopefully preserve your data.

Anyways I would disable the control panel access from the lockscreen.
 
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