iPhone Just Stolen - Phone is off

[Shellyb1]

My wife's iPhone was just stolen from her office at work.

The phone is already off and can't get a location using "find my phone" app.

Fortunately the phone is insured but that doesn't take away from the fact that someone was callous enough to steal!

Any guidance or idea's on what to do next? I set it to erase - but that will only happen once the phone goes online again.

Should I just wait it out until the thing comes online?

 

[kingrob]

My wife's iPhone was just stolen from her office at work.

The phone is already off and can't get a location using "find my phone" app.

Fortunately the phone is insured but that doesn't take away from the fact that someone was callous enough to steal!

Any guidance or idea's on what to do next? I set it to erase - but that will only happen once the phone goes online again.

Should I just wait it out until the thing comes online?

Yup, you'll have to wait it out till it comes online again.

Wipe the storage remotely, blacklist the phone (IMEI number) with your service provider and contact your insurance company.

 

[R13...]

Blacklist the phone.
Was it locked with a passcode?

 

[Maverick Jester]

Yup, you'll have to wait it out till it comes online again.

Wipe the storage remotely, blacklist the phone (IMEI number) with your service provider and contact your insurance company.

And after that, get a better phone and be a touch more careful with leaving it around...

On a serious note- just follow kingrob's advice. Unfortunately Apple do not flag stolen devices so nothing that they can really do.

 

[iMcJaz]

Rather remotely lock it with a passcode. I see that Apple have changed it to "Lost Mode" on iCloud.com. If you remotely wipe the phone, does that mean it clears the iCloud details, and thus Find my iPhone becomes unusable? I've never tried it.

It will definitely broadcast the GPS co-ord's when the phone comes online. (Which it has to at some point.) Hopefully with a 3G signal.

 

[akescpt]

geez i dont even have the code unlock. just the slider. something to think about.

 

[Datura]

If you are backed up to the cloud, your data won't be wiped from there when you do a remote wipe. Good luck.

 

[Datura]

Keep monitoring the phone. The bastards have to switch it on at some point...

 

[Cameronkk]

And if they swap the sim? Will you still be able to use the tracking service?

 

[SauRoNZA]

And if they swap the sim? Will you still be able to use the tracking service?

Yes if the SIM in question can access a Data Service.

A remote wipe only affects the device and resets it to Factory Defaults. The Apple ID and it's related information remains as is including the iCloud Data.

 

[Shellyb1]

We had a passcode on it when it was used for work emails. When wife got a work BB, she took the passcode off and removed the work email.

The phone has been blocked at the network and there is nothing on the device that could result in a data leakage problem... all photos are PG .

Was wondering about the data wipe and if that would affect the ability to trace it? Would love getting the bugger caught...must be the same snake that stole her laptop charger from her office.

 

[Shellyb1]

And after that, get a better phone and be a touch more careful with leaving it around...

On a serious note- just follow kingrob's advice. Unfortunately Apple do not flag stolen devices so nothing that they can really do.

Thanks Kingrob. In the process of getting all that done.

Thanks Maverick Jester. Kinda stuck in the apple ecosphere for now. Will venture there (android or WP) when I upgrade next.

 

[R13...]

We had a passcode on it when it was used for work emails. When wife got a work BB, she took the passcode off and removed the work email.

The phone has been blocked at the network and there is nothing on the device that could result in a data leakage problem... all photos are PG .

Was wondering about the data wipe and if that would affect the ability to trace it? Would love getting the bugger caught...must be the same snake that stole her laptop charger from her office.

They should in theory not be able to connect the phone to itunes without the passcode. And even then it will begin by wiping all data.

 

[LizGroen]

The unthinkable has just happened to us - my husband's iPhone got stolen from a shopping centre. It has a pass code on, location services on, Find my iPhone on, I've put it in Lost Mode, the usual...

Just checking - should I wait a couple of days before wiping it remotely? Is there any way that the buggers can access the information on there before force resetting it (whatever it is that they do to get the phone working again). It is insured and backed up, I just want to know if the data is safe? (It will be a bonus if we manage to find the phone at some stage).

 

[Cassady]

The unthinkable has just happened to us - my husband's iPhone got stolen from a shopping centre. It has a pass code on, location services on, Find my iPhone on, I've put it in Lost Mode, the usual...

Just checking - should I wait a couple of days before wiping it remotely? Is there any way that the buggers can access the information on there before force resetting it (whatever it is that they do to get the phone working again). It is insured and backed up, I just want to know if the data is safe? (It will be a bonus if we manage to find the phone at some stage).

Sorry to hear.

What iPhone was it – running which iOS?

 

[LizGroen]

Sorry yes - iPhone 5S with iOS 8.

 

[Spotja]

If one can switch off the phone while it's locked, find my iPhone becomes useless

 

[R13...]

Sorry yes - iPhone 5S with iOS 8.

They will have to wipe it to gain access as far as known methods go. It's also nearly impossible to re activate in lost mode.

 

[R13...]

If one can switch off the phone while it's locked, find my iPhone becomes useless

Yes that sucks, I felt the same when I lost mine, but you can just see how it's near impossible to prevent them disabling. They could just eject the SIM

 

[Spotja]

Time for sim-less phones.