Stolen iPhone

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So I had my iPhone stolen last night used iCloud and it was found at 8:45AM in a town near mine. I called the police and they said they wouldn't go to the address and I feel uncomfortable going to the address in case its dangerous.

So I decided I would start looking on craigslist to see if I could find my phone. I believe I did!! There's ad from the same town, claiming to be selling or willing to trade a "brand new" white iPhone 4 with no scratches, cracks, or dings.

I had my phone replaced earlier in the day from Apple and it was literally 5 hours later when I had it stolen. I honestly believe this phone is mine and I want to contact the seller and see if I can find out the IMEI, FCC ID, or IC (the numbers listed on the back the phone)

But since I just had this phone replaced I don't have any way of finding out this information from iTunes or anything like that. My carrier only gives me this weird SIM number and Apple only gives my serial number. Neither of which are physically listed on the phone.

Please help me if you know where I can find any of these numbers. I want to try and get my phone back.
 

pigoo3

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So I had my iPhone stolen last night used iCloud and it was found at 8:45AM in a town near mine. I called the police and they said they wouldn't go to the address and I feel uncomfortable going to the address in case its dangerous.

Please help me if you know where I can find any of these numbers. I want to try and get my phone back.

If the police are unwilling to go to the address…and you're sure that your iPhone is where you think via iCloud…how is having the additional info (IMEI, FCC ID, or IC) going to help?

If the police are unwilling or unable to help…this is not something you should be pursuing on your own.

We have had folks post here before in the exact same situation. They pretty much know where their stolen electronic item is…but the police are unable to pursue things further without more proof/evidence…and then get a search warrant (which they cannot get without proper info…and probable cause).

And since you just had this phone replaced…do you even have the IMEI, FCC ID, or IC info? If not…getting this info from the "seller" is not going to help. And again…even if it did help…you cannot go after the seller yourself. Just wouldn't be a very smart idea. You could end up in legal trouble yourself.

- Nick
 
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Um....thats the whole point of my situation ... if I could get these numbers (maybe there's someway through iCloud? that I have haven't figured out) I could contact this seller ... have him verify that it is in fact my phone by providing me with matching numbers (for example, say that I just want to make sure that the phone is not stolen via the internet ... if they're in a hurry to make money they may just be willing to give this information), and then contact the police again with evidence.
 

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Um....thats the whole point of my situation ... if I could get these numbers (maybe there's someway through iCloud? that I have haven't figured out) I could contact this seller ... have him verify that it is in fact my phone by providing me with matching numbers (for example, say that I just want to make sure that the phone is not stolen via the internet ... if they're in a hurry to make money they may just be willing to give this information), and then contact the police again with evidence.

Um…don't you think I thought of that! This isn't my first "rodeo" hearing from someone who "thinks" (or knows) that someone has their stolen electronics.

If the person is in their home…the police don't want to get involved because there are no witness's to the crime. The police can't just walk up to someone's door, knock, and say…"Um…someone says you stole their iPhone." They need a search warrant to do this. They need a signature from a judge for the warrant…and a judge won't sign a warrant without enough evidence.

I totally sympathize with you…it sucks to have something of yours stolen…I've had it happen (car broken into…everything stolen). It's a difficult situation.

- Nick
 
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Um…don't you think I thought of that! This isn't my first "rodeo" hearing from someone who "thinks" (or knows) that someone has their stolen electronics.

If the person is in their home…the police don't want to get involved because there are no witness's to the crime. The police can't just walk up to someone's door, knock, and say…"Um…someone says you stole their iPhone." They need a search warrant to do this. They need a signature from a judge for the warrant…and a judge won't sign a warrant without enough evidence.

Hi Nick - difficult situation and I also sympathize w/ the OP - I guess the next decision is whether there is valuable/personal data on the iPhone and whether there is some type of backup relative to the recent replacement? So, I guess the next option is whether to 'erase' the device via iCloud?
 

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So, I guess the next option is whether to 'erase' the device via iCloud?

If that's posible...hopefully it has already been done.:)

- Nick
 

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All the above shows the need to buy some kind of insurance for your iPhone. A brand new iPhone 5s goes for $650 from Apple and even when subsidized can be expensive if stolen.

And iPhones are among the most popular items for thieves to steal since they can resell them very quickly.
 

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And iPhones are among the most popular items for thieves to steal since they can resell them very quickly.

And very small (easy to conceal). Hard to stealthily get away with a 30 pound 27" iMac under your arm!;)

- Nick
 
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And very small (easy to conceal). Hard to stealthily get away with a 30 pound 27" iMac under your arm!;)

- Nick

Well, maybe a little more difficult in the early days of the portable phone (of course, unless the shoe fit!) :Cool:
.

smart_phone2.jpg
 
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Update: I contacted the seller ... met the scumbag at Starbucks. He was around 16-18 max. He tried selling me MY PHONE and another $10 for MY OTTERBOX!!! Asked to see the phone, put it in my pocket, and called 911. He just ran

BOOM!! JUSTICE HAS PREVAILED!
 

chscag

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I'm glad you got your iPhone back and I hope you had some "backup" with you when you met the thief at Starbucks. ;)
 

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Glad you got it back and glad he was not some crazy with a gun or something! It happens. Anyway congrats and glad you are ok.
 
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