Finding a Stolen iPhone 4 or 4S that is turned off

vondutch10 · Dec 16, 2011

Hello All,

I have a close friend who was recently attacked, mugged and sexually assaulted in San Francisco. Her phone (Blackberry) and laptop were stolen. She now has an iPhone 4S. Many women have asked me the following question and I have researched extensively, but I can't get a definitive answer.

The question is as follows: Is there any software and or hardware that can be added to an iPhone 4 or 4S that would allow the phone to be found if the phone is turned off? Please only address a turned off phone. Also, let's say there is no way to find it when it is turned off. If at some point down the road, the phone were to be turned back on, is there a way to be immediately notified that it is on and it's location. Answers to these questions are not going to solve this particular crime since the victim had a Blackberry, but I would like to be able to inform women (who have an iPhone 4 or 4S) of what they should do now so their phone (and hopefully the perpetrator) can be found if stolen. Please please please don't answer the question as if the stolen phone is still on and locked. I already have that answer.

Thank you!

iHolophyte · Dec 16, 2011

vondutch10 said:
Hello All,

I have a close friend who was recently attacked, mugged and sexually assaulted in San Francisco. Her phone (Blackberry) and laptop were stolen. She now has an iPhone 4S. Many women have asked me the following question and I have researched extensively, but I can't get a definitive answer.

The question is as follows: Is there any software and or hardware that can be added to an iPhone 4 or 4S that would allow the phone to be found if the phone is turned off? Please only address a turned off phone. Also, let's say there is no way to find it when it is turned off. If at some point down the road, the phone were to be turned back on, is there a way to be immediately notified that it is on and it's location. Answers to these questions are not going to solve this particular crime since the victim had a Blackberry, but I would like to be able to inform women (who have an iPhone 4 or 4S) of what they should do now so their phone (and hopefully the perpetrator) can be found if stolen. Please please please don't answer the question as if the stolen phone is still on and locked. I already have that answer.

Thank you!

Sounds to me like you need to know and quick? Guilty conscience is it?

iHolophyte

vondutch10 · Dec 16, 2011

I guess that means you don't know. Does anybody?

Rocko · Dec 16, 2011

No, as what would power the GPS? It's pretty simple.

vondutch10 · Dec 16, 2011

Rocko, thank you for the reply. A follow up question... How do the police locate a car that has "lo jack" if that car is not running? Is it not possible to have something in the iPhone that would continue to power the GPS for some portion of time?

Rocko · Dec 16, 2011

The low jack is powered off the 12v battery and might have a backup, but the car does not need to be running, same as your interior lights, they can draw power when the car is off.

Having the GPS on all the time on the iPhone or having a app run while the phone is off would take some work from Apple. They could modify the sleep mode to allow one app-find my phone-and the 3g radio and with that on the GPS could be activated. to be on but I think that would draw too much power.

vondutch10 · Dec 16, 2011

Rocko, thank you for your follow up response. That makes sense to me. One last follow up question. Assume you have the right software on the iphone 4 or 4S and your phone is locked (and the thief doesn't have the password) and the thief immediately turns the phone off when they steal it... Eventually that phone gets turned back on again, either by the thief or the person the thief gives it or sells it to, what happens at that point. Is there a way to be immediately notified and be able to determine the location to tell the police. If so, what is the appropriate software?