tracking A stolen phone

[Hawkschild]

So this is what happened.... i bought my daughter a verizon iphone 4 for her birthday. While making a stop at walmart someone broke into my car and stole the brand new unopened iphone along with my stereo and other things. I filed a police report and called verizon. At first they told me there was no way to track it until someone tried to activate it. A few days later they told me the phone had been activated but not on their network so they couldn't do anything to find out who did it. Does this sound logical to anyone? How can they know its been activated but not be able to see what network its active on? I am so upset by this! I was told if I wanted I could pay the deductible and get another phone but thats not good enough. I just dont see how they can know its been activated but not have or be able to get any other details on the d-bag who took it? Anyone know if they are just jerking me around? Or are they really powerless to track this person simply becauze they chose a carrier other than verizon?

 

[Thomasjtsi]

The unfortunate truth here is, your wireless company will not provide you with the tracking information.... even if they were able to. All "stolen tracking" information must be subpoenaed via a law enforcement agency. So, they're most likely providing you with the most information that they legally can.

 

[Hawkschild]

So that being said is it worth it to me to try to get the police to subpoena Verizon or would they even bother. If Verizon is being straight with me by saying they can't track it if it isn't on the network then I guess it would be a wasted effort on my part. That's what I really want to know. If they honestly can't see the phone on another carriers network then I really have no other move to make except to buy another phone. I was just really hoping that wasn't the case.

 

[scifan57]

So this is what happened.... i bought my daughter a verizon iphone 4 for her birthday. While making a stop at walmart someone broke into my car and stole the brand new unopened iphone along with my stereo and other things. I filed a police report and called verizon. At first they told me there was no way to track it until someone tried to activate it. A few days later they told me the phone had been activated but not on their network so they couldn't do anything to find out who did it. Does this sound logical to anyone? How can they know its been activated but not be able to see what network its active on? I am so upset by this! I was told if I wanted I could pay the deductible and get another phone but thats not good enough. I just dont see how they can know its been activated but not have or be able to get any other details on the d-bag who took it? Anyone know if they are just jerking me around? Or are they really powerless to track this person simply becauze they chose a carrier other than verizon?

Contact you local law enforcement, they can get a warrant to get the info needed to identify the person who activated your phone.

scifan57; iPhone Forums Moderator

 

[Thomasjtsi]

Contact you local law enforcement, they can get a warrant to get the info needed to identify the person who activated your phone.

+1...

 

[Hawkschild]

I'm sorry if this posts twice.... Couldn't find it the first time. I did contact the police and filed a report just minutes after my car was broken into. Didn't seem like a big deal to them so I stayed in contact with verizon. Where I am getting tripped up is they tell me they know someone activated it. But they can't track it because its not on their network. What I am trying to understand is how can they know its active and not be able to track it? Wouldn't they just need to track the esn number or whatever? Seems like it should be simple but it looks like its not.

 

[Thomasjtsi]

Honestly, that's more information that Verizon should give you directly. Phones get stolen every day... and they are almost never recovered.

 

[crowd pleaser]

i find this very strange tbh, ok Verizon can't pass on the info direct to the client but could they not contact Apple to switch the phone off, just as you can having activated then lost your handset and informed them in the 'normal' way?

The o/p won't likely get their handset back, but will draw some comfort knowing it can't be used as a phone!

 

[willerz2]

i find this very strange tbh, ok Verizon can't pass on the info direct to the client but could they not contact Apple to switch the phone off, just as you can having activated then lost your handset and informed them in the 'normal' way?

The o/p won't likely get their handset back, but will draw some comfort knowing it can't be used as a phone!

Switch the phone off? All phone blocking feats come from the carrier. The only thing I could think of would be the ESN/IMEI block that prevents activation. But if someone tried hard enough, or had the right resources, they can bypass it to some extent if they take the appropriate measures

 

[Software]

Have you still got the box, give your IMEI number to the police they could either block or track it down.

Many thanks,
Software

 

[willerz2]

...broke into my car and stole the brand new unopened iphone...

Not definite but I'm pretty sure he still has the box yeah.

 

[Hawkschild]

No, I do t have the box or the receipt or anything. The person who stole it got it all. All I have is a print out from the bank with my debit card transaction to verizon. That's the only proof I had that I owned the darn thing for all of an hour. Unfortunately it appears that some one got a brand spanking new iPhone on my dime. Guess ill be pulling overtime to get her another one! Don't think I'm buying it from verizon. Still stuck on the "it's activated but we can't tell by who" makes me wanna shake someone!! I appreciate everyone's help. I was hoping there would be a verizon employee who could give me definate answers about their abilities to trace phones but I still appreciate the help.

 

[Gregsaidthat]

I'm sorry that you had to go through something like that and they won't give you any information. I know it's bs that they won't give you any information.


Sent using the best phone in the world. iPhone 5 rocking tapatalk!!!

 

[scifan57]

No, I do t have the box or the receipt or anything. The person who stole it got it all. All I have is a print out from the bank with my debit card transaction to verizon. That's the only proof I had that I owned the darn thing for all of an hour. Unfortunately it appears that some one got a brand spanking new iPhone on my dime. Guess ill be pulling overtime to get her another one! Don't think I'm buying it from verizon. Still stuck on the "it's activated but we can't tell by who" makes me wanna shake someone!! I appreciate everyone's help. I was hoping there would be a verizon employee who could give me definate answers about their abilities to trace phones but I still appreciate the help.

It's privacy laws that prevent Verizon from giving you more information. Only authorized law enforcement officials with a court order can request that info from Verizon. What do your local police say? You should ask them to investigate further.

scifan57, iPhone Forums Moderator

 

[crowd pleaser]

It's privacy laws that prevent Verizon from giving you more information. Only authorized law enforcement officials with a court order can request that info from Verizon. What do your local police say? You should ask them to investigate further.

scifan57, iPhone Forums Moderator

Similar to the UK, i'd try an angle of you can prove you are the legal owner, you have a crime report number. Verizon have admitted it has been activated so they will know on which network - just as do Apple. Make a formal request as the legal owner to have the phone blocked. As you paid by card the transaction can be traced to provide any details needed.

all Apple handset no matter where they are, continue to operate via Apple servers, the airtime provider has to ask Apple to unlock or black a handset (afaik no other handset maker has this level of anti-theft control and a big selling point to me).