I was just robbed minutes ago, is there anything I can do about my phone?

Emission

Emission

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Dec 6, 2005
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I didn't think it would ever happen to me, but I was mugged about an hour ago. Honestly, if this post isn't in the right place then please move it.

At this point I don't know if I'll ever see my phone again, if anyone has any info on how I can find it despite that I don't have any "phone finder" applications on it, that would be great.

Actually I'd like to know if theres any way that I can geo-locate the phone. It is an HTC Sensation running Android 4.0.

If that's not possible, I'd like to know if I can report it stolen via the IMEI or the phone number and if it can be disabled based on that. I have as much information as I can possible have about the device at my disposal (I have the original box that it came in which lists the serial and IMEI).

If there's absolutely nothing I can do, thanks for your time anyway...
 
Good luck, watch your local craigslist for real. Post a ad wanting to buy a htc sensation and hopefully it turns up
 
Thanks for the ideas guys. I figured since the service itself is prepaid that the carrier cant do anything but I can provide an IMEI for them so who knows.
 
Yikes, I hope you're OK. I thought there wouldn't be much hope in getting your phone back, but... you might be able to push an app to your phone from the Google Play site. You'll need something that will automatically enable once it's installed and start telling you where the phone is.

You should still call the police, and your carrier, but ask your carrier if they can leave the device activated for a few days so you can try to track it down. If they deactivate it, then it'll be much harder to track, except where there's configured wifi (not very often).

You'll want to change your passwords/remove access; but not for the core google services, since again, that will lock your phone out of getting in touch with you.

I saw a link to "Plan B", https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb&feature=search_result which looks to be a good app for this; it does display a splash screen when it's loaded though; so it might be obvious to a criminal.
 
Yeah I tried Plan B but it didn't work. The phone still rings though which is strange. I couldve lucked out and maybe the criminal is dumb and dumped it somewhere not knowing what to do with it.
 
Next time get yourself Norton Mobile Security, tracks your phone. Wish it wasn't so expensive though.
 
Next time I won't be in this freaking neighborhood :/. Lesson learned...
 
I'm curious as to how it happened ... They had masks,a gun,knife.... How did they get u to give the phone?was it one or more guys?
 
Glad you are okay -- any phone insurance?

the sad thing is - even if you had some sort of phone tracking app or security setup, the police don't care and generally will not help (these days unless it's a revenue generating for them, it's a low priority) that being said - if you knew exactly where it was, unless you had a group of (well armed) big friends... I doubt you would want to find it and deal with the people who actually took it. It's sad in this day and age YOU would be charged with a crime for trying to retrieve your own stolen property.

I've never been mugged, but I have had things stolen from me via car break in. And it's a pretty low feeling, you aren't alone friend. Being from Texas - people like this are the ones that just need to quietly be eliminated from society. I have no sympathy for anyone who commits a violent act like this against an innocent person.

(Soapbox) And if I had my way if the criminal was not eliminated on the spot via self defense, you'd have a choice after being proven guilty, hard labor or death. In my experience the ones that are against this form of punishment are the ones who have never been robbed or been on the receiving end of any violent theft and think the world is all puppies, rainbows, and sunshine.

Hope you are able to get some restoration via insurance and move on.
 
roninblade said:
Or you could learn to exercise your 2nd amendment rights ;)
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Meh. It's really not worth the legal hassle of trying to prove you needed to use it. I'll run if at all possible, if not then I am more than prepared to stand my ground.

It's all about assessing the situation though. I've got a pretty mean right hook, so that's obviously going to be my first line of defense (unless there is more than one guy).
 
Two guys, one is armed (possibly both who knows). My first line of thinking was that I didn't want anything to happen to my friend who was with me because neither of us were armed or ready honestly. It could have went several different ways, and given the opportunity I would probably try to defend myself the next time around but it just wasn't worth the risk at the time. I'll get a new phone and I'll get my documents back, I'd rather lose a few hundred bucks than my life and possibly someone elses in the process. Thanks a lot guys.
 
Im telling you try craigslist, people are dumb as shit and will try to sell it.
 
Bman123 said:
Im telling you try craigslist, people are dumb as shit and will try to sell it.
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Watching it like a hawk.

Also the criminals used my debit card at a local gas station so all of those details are being forwarded to the police.
 
But honestly I don't care if I get my phone back at this point, I just want to see that the criminals receive the punishment they deserve.
 
Emission said:
But honestly I don't care if I get my phone back at this point, I just want to see that the criminals receive the punishment they deserve.
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Brb.
iron-man-briefcase-gif.gif
 
hopefully they were on camera... this day in age don't you need a pin code to use a debit card? or they only doing that chip crap now, so basically anyone can use a card with out a code, signature or anything?
 
MrGuvernment said:
hopefully they were on camera... this day in age don't you need a pin code to use a debit card? or they only doing that chip crap now, so basically anyone can use a card with out a code, signature or anything?
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They probably used it as a credit card to purchase something. Not a big deal since its most likely on camera and I can get that money back.
 
Next time install SeekDroid or Cerberus, so you can locate it or wipe it remotely. Also, Dropbox is great for syncing stuff so you never have to worry about losing data on a device.
 
Impulse said:
Next time install SeekDroid or Cerberus, so you can locate it or wipe it remotely. Also, Dropbox is great for syncing stuff so you never have to worry about losing data on a device.
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Speaking of wiping, is there a way to remotely brick the device?

Or lock down the recovery possibly?

Actually now that I think about it I just thought of a pretty good idea.
 
download cerberus i just found it on a video and you can do everything you could every dream of such as listen to calls and view the camera. VERY bad ass.
 
What city was it in? Is be more then willing to help if I can with Craigslist I've got a nack for having idiots call me lol
 
Emission said:
Two guys, one is armed (possibly both who knows). My first line of thinking was that I didn't want anything to happen to my friend who was with me because neither of us were armed or ready honestly. It could have went several different ways, and given the opportunity I would probably try to defend myself the next time around but it just wasn't worth the risk at the time. I'll get a new phone and I'll get my documents back, I'd rather lose a few hundred bucks than my life and possibly someone elses in the process. Thanks a lot guys.
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People think real life is like a tv show or movie :rolleyes: That is not the real world. I live in Chicago, and have heard stories of thieves come and go at warp speed, with no warning in a big crowed sidewalk. They bump into you fast, take your shit before you really comprehend what just happened, and then sprint away.

In that situation it all happens so fast and unexpectedly, you are first a little confused for a second or two as to what just happened, by the time you think to pull a weapon you may be carrying, they are already sprinting down the street, in a huge crowd of people.

Now if this happened in the middle nowhere, with nobody around, then for sure, lock and load, and let God sort them out ;)
 
but you have to have the phone with you (not stolen) to install such apps
 
No you don't. They will install automatically if selected in the Play store.
 
I'd like to point out a couple things.
a)you can report the phone stolen to the carrier but they will NOT disable it even if you specifically ask them to. This is why there is a market in stolen phones. There was legislation in committee in congress at one point to force carriers to disable stolen phones but it got lobbied to death before it even made it to the chamber floor. The carriers make money selling service to stolen phones when they get activated by whoever ends up with them. They also charge you an activation fee for your replacement phone in some cases so a stolen phone is win win for them.

b) phone insurance isn't worth the piss it would take to put out the fire you started by setting the paperwork for it alight. There's always some cause for them not replacing the phone no matter how many hoops you jump through.


tvdang7 said:
download cerberus i just found it on a video and you can do everything you could every dream of such as listen to calls and view the camera. VERY bad ass.
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And in some jurisdictions you would get a more severe punishment for wiretapping than the phone thief would get for the theft. Viewing the camera would also open up a pandora's box of issues; what if you see someones naughty bits (privacy invasion if theyre of age, far worse if they're not) or come across evidence of something you would have to report to the police?
 
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For future reference to actually "track" your phone, check out the "Where's my Droid" app. It has the option to enable the GPS via text, and it will give you a location on a map within 5 minutes.
 
Gman1979 said:
I'd like to point out a couple things.
a)you can report the phone stolen to the carrier but they will NOT disable it even if you specifically ask them to. This is why there is a market in stolen phones
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Absolutely untrue. The minute you report it stolen, it is deactivated and the MEID is blacklisted. That is why it is so important to check the MEID of any device you plan on buying from a place such as Craigslist. Because if it was reported stolen, it CANNOT be activated.
 
Damn, this kind of situation makes me jumpy all the time. Makes you think that packing heat should now be standard.

OP, FYI the local pawnshops are also a place to find stolen goods. You'd be very surprised to know that the pawnshops are honest about having stolen products being pawned.
 
coolie_d said:
Absolutely untrue. The minute you report it stolen, it is deactivated and the MEID is blacklisted. That is why it is so important to check the MEID of any device you plan on buying from a place such as Craigslist. Because if it was reported stolen, it CANNOT be activated.
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I think Verizon/Sprint do, I thought AT&T doesn't tho... Isn't that why they were recently sued?
 
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