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Theft! Need quick help.

P

philip in al

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 23, 2010
234
2
iPad just stolen by Delta baggage handlers. May be wrong forum, but usually smartest people in this one. Here is problem. IPad 3. Never activated cellular plan; cellular date slide stays in off position. Wifi stays on. Uses "find my iPhone to send iPad messages, then lock device. Since it was turned off still (I assume), it never sent me an email saying the message had been sent or that the iPad had been located or even locked. I had to board another plane. Could afford to take chance of someone getting all my personal info off. 1password etc., so I wiped it.

Question, with cell data switches off, can apple wipe it the minute it is turned on, or will they have to wait until it is connected to a wireless network?

What scares me is all the data they can steal if they get free reign on the iPad until they connect to wifi.

Thanks for any insight.
 
There would be no way to wipe the device remotely by anyone, including Apple without some sort of wireless connection.
 
Was it password locked already or could you access the data freely on the device? If it's freely accessible then you may be in trouble unless they connect to a network first. As soon as it connects to the internet it will wipe the iPad.

How sure are you that it was stolen anyway?
 
You checked your iPad in with your baggage? You didn't carry it on? Or did Delta steal it from your carry ons?

Sorry to hear dude. Hope you recover it but it's likely gone forever. Check CraigsList fast!
 
Have you filed a claim with Delta? What are they going to do as far as reimbursements go?
 
No password protection (rarely leaves home). Zipped in outer pocket of Tumi carry on. Didn't know it would be a commuter jet and they asked me to check my bag (right as your stepping on the plane). Forgot to pull it out.

Big, huge lessons learned. Password lock the iPad. Password lock all programs and pay for cellular data plan whether you use it much or not! Oh, and Delta baggage handlers are thieves (at least one is). Anyone know if Delta will cover this? I'm in the air now and have to deal when I get to final destination. Did alert proper staff at plane change in ATL, the also called originating city.
 
philip in al said:
No password protection (rarely leaves home). Zipped in outer pocket of Tumi carry on. Didn't know it would be a commuter jet and they asked me to check my bag (right as your stepping on the plane). Forgot to pull it out.

Big, huge lessons learned. Password lock the iPad. Password lock all programs and pay for cellular data plan whether you use it much or not! Oh, and Delta baggage handlers are thieves (at least one is). Anyone know if Delta will cover this? I'm in the air now and have to deal when I get to final destination. Did alert proper staff at plane change in ATL, the also called originating city.
Click to expand...
I had a similar incident, but on South West, where they took the carry-on bags just before boarding the plane. I reported the theft immediately upon landing at my destination airport. The Airlines paid out for almost all the things stolen. You would be able to retrieve your iPad receipt as proof of purchase to give to their claims department.
Hopefully the thief will connect to a wireless access point soon, and your device can be remotely wiped.
 
Fix

if you turned the find my iphone on, then the GPS is still active, you don't need Internet connection to use the find my iphone feature, go to icloud.com and find your ipad there. only thing you can do is wait for someone to turn it on.
 
I'd raise hell till it gets to the point of contacting the US Department of Transportation. When I flew back on United from Michigan to Colorado I did the checked in carry on thing and had all 3 expensive lenses and my full frame Canon dSLR broken, basically $3,000+ in damages. I went back to the airport the next day, over 80 miles away and the lady said tough. It wasnt till I threatened to contact the US Department of Transportation that I actually got United to reimburse me for repairs to the equipment. I've tried the whole executive emails and kept getting vouchers towards future flights.

I'd go up the food chain first and try emailing executives and providing things like reciepts and statements of purchasing stuff on the iPad, etc. If that doesnt work try asking the US DoT, airlines would rather settle then get a complaint.
 
philip in al said:
iPad just stolen by Delta baggage handlers. May be wrong forum, but usually smartest people in this one. Here is problem. IPad 3. Never activated cellular plan; cellular date slide stays in off position. Wifi stays on. Uses "find my iPhone to send iPad messages, then lock device. Since it was turned off still (I assume), it never sent me an email saying the message had been sent or that the iPad had been located or even locked. I had to board another plane. Could afford to take chance of someone getting all my personal info off. 1password etc., so I wiped it.

Question, with cell data switches off, can apple wipe it the minute it is turned on, or will they have to wait until it is connected to a wireless network?

What scares me is all the data they can steal if they get free reign on the iPad until they connect to wifi.

Thanks for any insight.
Click to expand...

Your credit card company might cover the loss since you're still within 90 days.
 
i will never understand why people don't password lock their ipads, even if it rarely leaves the home. unless your home is secured like Fort Knox, if someone breaks in and steals your ipad, you're basically SOL the same way as if someone steals it from your luggage.



philip in al said:
No password protection (rarely leaves home)...
Big, huge lessons learned. Password lock the iPad. Password lock all programs and pay for cellular data plan whether you use it much or not! Oh, and Delta baggage handlers are thieves (at least one is). Anyone know if Delta will cover this? I'm in the air now and have to deal when I get to final destination. Did alert proper staff at plane change in ATL, the also called originating city.
Click to expand...
 
bufffilm said:
i will never understand why people don't password lock their ipads, even if it rarely leaves the home. unless your home is secured like Fort Knox, if someone breaks in and steals your ipad, you're basically SOL the same way as if someone steals it from your luggage.
Click to expand...

This is true. While not the same as the OP, I had my iPad replaced recently by a Genius. When I got home and realized I didn't wipe it, it relieved me that it had a passcode.

I tried wiping it via iCloud.com, but it had already been powered off.
 
bufffilm said:
i will never understand why people don't password lock their ipads, even if it rarely leaves the home. unless your home is secured like Fort Knox, if someone breaks in and steals your ipad, you're basically SOL the same way as if someone steals it from your luggage.
Click to expand...

This. Especially when there is sensitive information on the iPad, as there appears to be in the OP's case. How someone can put sensitive information on a device and not implement something as simple as a 4 digit pin to provide some level protection is beyond me.
 
bufffilm said:
i will never understand why people don't password lock their ipads, even if it rarely leaves the home. unless your home is secured like Fort Knox, if someone breaks in and steals your ipad, you're basically SOL the same way as if someone steals it from your luggage.
Click to expand...

I had a meeting at a client's firm and on my way home realized that I left my iPad in the conference room (downtown Chicago high rise office building). I remotely locked it and kept it that way ever since. Totally worth the minor hassle not to have that brief moment of terror that your stuff is accessible to all.
 
Thanks to this thread, I have enabled the Password Lock on my new iPad 3! I feel safer now since I take my iPad 3 with me to appointments.
 
Not sure if this will do any help, but I went 1 step further with "Find My iPhone". I setup restrictions where the location services cannot be turned off with a seperate password.
 
Hollowman7717 said:
if you turned the find my iphone on, then the GPS is still active, you don't need Internet connection to use the find my iphone feature,
Click to expand...


Uhh, yeah you do. In order for the iPad to both receive the request to turn on its GPS, and to report its position to iCloud, an internet connection is needed.
 
bufffilm said:
i will never understand why people don't password lock their ipads, even if it rarely leaves the home. unless your home is secured like Fort Knox, if someone breaks in and steals your ipad, you're basically SOL the same way as if someone steals it from your luggage.
Click to expand...

bc it's a PITA when the ipad locks and you have to type your password everytime.
 
rmhop81 said:
bc it's a PITA when the ipad locks and you have to type your password everytime.
Click to expand...

You know what is more of a PITA? Losing your personal data. Yeah I'll type in a few numbers over that any day. Truly hope the op gets a new iPad.
 
jessica. said:
You know what is more of a PITA? Losing your personal data. Yeah I'll type in a few numbers over that any day. Truly hope the op gets a new iPad.
Click to expand...

well yah if you're someone that doesn't pay close attention to your items then yes a password is great. I'd never pack my iPad in a bag and just hope for the best lol

----------
CandyNJ66 said:
Agreed! If its a PITA, you are incredibly lazy
Click to expand...

anytime ur phone locks you have to do it. i'm on my phone daily. i may use it for a minute and lock it and set it down. few minutes later i'm back to it. i'd have to type my password 30+times a day. Your lazy if you can't keep track of your device and it gets lost.
 
Just a doubt:

If the stolen iPad is password-locked, can the thief make it connect to a wireless network for "Find my iPhone" to detect it?
 
BornRight said:
Just a doubt:

If the stolen iPad is password-locked, can the thief make it connect to a wireless network for "Find my iPhone" to detect it?
Click to expand...

nope, unless it somehow auto-connects? find my iPhone doesn't mean anything if the person even just turns the iPad off.
 
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