iPhone stolen at APPLE STORE!...Seriously!

So, I went to the apple store to get my Iphone 3gs 32gig repaired. I handed it to the lady at the Genius Bar and she synced it to her computer to update it. While waiting, she walked away and I knew this would take long, I pulled out my laptop and started working on it. 45 minutes later the lady is not back and I ask another genius bar representative where is my Iphone? And it is no where to be found. It went missing. Seriously! Oh it gets interesting. The lady that was assisting me was the assistant-manager, 2nd in command!
She does not know what happened to it. I do not know what happened to it I handed over to apple genius bar to take care of it. She and her employees looked for it but could not find it. Thus she filled out a missing report with her company and said that she cannot watch the cameras. Someone will contact me tomorrow with what happened to my phone.

Next day rolls around it's after 6pm and no phone call. I went back to the apple store. She was off and there is another manager. He tries to see what he can do and comes back with no reply but offers me a refurbished 3gs Iphone. I accepted it for now until they can find what has happened to my phone. Should I have accepted the refurbished Iphone? Am I entitled to a new Iphone?

This has disturbed me because personally I would like my old phone back but if they cannot find it, I should be entitled to a new Iphone, right?
I need advice as to how should I approach this situation.

Please be nice - this is my 1st post.

cruzerminime said:

Am I entitled to a new Iphone?

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You are entitled to a functionally identical iPhone, period.

Apple's service policy clearly states, "During service Apple may exchange your iPhone with an iPhone that is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability."

You got a phone and the refubs are like new so I wouldn't worry about it. However, I do think that they should have offered you somthing for your time.

I think you are entitled to a brand new phone, regardless of whether the refurbished ones are the same. I have a refurbished 8GB 3G now, and it works just fine, never had any problems with it whatsoever, however, I would have still wanted a brand new one since they lost the one that you initially took in there. Especially for an assistant manager to lose it, not to say that people never make mistakes, but I would have still been frustrated simply be being without a phone. (As lame as that sounds, we all know what it's like to not have a phone even for a few hours- you don't realize how much you miss it until it's gone.) You should definitely be entitled to a new phone, and I'd speak to as managers and supervisors as I could until I got a new one. Just my opinion.

I'd be more worried about the info on the phone. If you don't have a lock on it, anyone can access whatever is one there.

I have important business contacts and info on my phone along with a portfolio of my photography work. That's not something I'd want just any one in the world to get a hold of.

Village Idiot said:

I'd be more worried about the info on the phone. If you don't have a lock on it, anyone can access whatever is one there.

I have important business contacts and info on my phone along with a portfolio of my photography work. That's not something I'd want just any one in the world to get a hold of.

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Yeah, I would demand that they do a remote wipe at the very least.

cwa107 said:

Yeah, I would demand that they do a remote wipe at the very least.

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You would think they would offer that when they first noticed it missing.

With the latest version of iOS, assuming the phone was running it, can't they also locate the phone??

Regards

1991-C4 said:

You are entitled to a functionally identical iPhone, period.

Apple's service policy clearly states, "During service Apple may exchange your iPhone with an iPhone that is new or equivalent to new in performance and reliability."

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Exactly. And with battery replacements of ipads and iphones etc Apple actually says you will hand in your old product and get an identical product with a new battery. But as has been stated many tomes in this topic already, Apple quality checks on refurbished products are very strict. They are anal about only shipping out the best to the customers. Very compulsive about it. But this is one compulsive disorder that you should be glad the people at Apple have.

the8thark said:

Exactly. And with battery replacements of ipads and iphones etc Apple actually says you will hand in your old product and get an identical product with a new battery. But as has been stated many tomes in this topic already, Apple quality checks on refurbished products are very strict. They are anal about only shipping out the best to the customers. Very compulsive about it. But this is one compulsive disorder that you should be glad the people at Apple have.

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Refurbished MacBook still doing well, *knocks on wood*

cruzerminime said:

She does not know what happened to it. I do not know what happened to it I handed over to apple genius bar to take care of it. She and her employees looked for it but could not find it. Thus she filled out a missing report with her company and said that she cannot watch the cameras. Someone will contact me tomorrow with what happened to my phone.

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Just out of curiosity did you ask why she couldnt look at the cameras ?

Standard procedure i would of thought.

~Joe

BatterdStarfish said:

Just out of curiosity did you ask why she couldnt look at the cameras ?

Standard procedure i would of thought.

~Joe

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Most companies no longer allow local employees to view the footage due to privacy rights. All it took was one fool to use it in a dressing room and most of them pulled the control back to corporate levels. I know this is the way that a few stores my wife worked in were setup. If she needed to know something, she had to get corporate involved.

In this case, the phone probably costs less than all the effort that would be needed to get the footage so a replacement was offered.

DaFlake said:

Most companies no longer allow local employees to view the footage due to privacy rights. All it took was one fool to use it in a dressing room and most of them pulled the control back to corporate levels. I know this is the way that a few stores my wife worked in were setup. If she needed to know something, she had to get corporate involved.

In this case, the phone probably costs less than all the effort that would be needed to get the footage so a replacement was offered.

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Thanks for that dude, i didnt know. Your probably right. Although i wouldnt of settled for that. Its all about trust with me. Why would i go back to apple if i left my phone in the trust of the apply employees and they seem (from your post) they dont even care about it. Id want a new phone, and wouldnt go back to Apple.

Oh and id push for the cameras. Even if it did cost more than the phone. Just to make the Corporate levels know there theft going in the store. Never know could be an employee. Lol.

They know about the theft, trust me.... Risk analysis is a huge part of any coporation and the manager likely called corporate as well as filing a report. That is probably why she gave him a phone. If you have a theft reported, you have to determine if your actions are going to cost more than the theft is worth. The phone is less than 1K but all the man hours to get the information needed may be well over 1K. If that is the case, drop it and simply get a new phone and give it to the person.

As for refurb over new, I personally wouldn't care as long as it looked new and was covered under a warranty. That is just me...