Advice RE stolen goods / burglary / find my iPhone

[theron]

Hi All...

Just after a little bit of advice re an iMac and Laptop that were stolen last night- they are coming up on find my iPhone and so we can locate the current address of the devices.

Police are aware of the new location (and the burglary) but say there isn't really much they can do apart from do a quick drive round the area and not enter any property... has anyone ever experienced a situation like this / recommend any steps of what to do without alerting the burglars that we know where they are?

Thanks!

[peckham_ryu]

If the new location is clearly a particular property, I would have thought you could make a complaint and they could get a warrant to enter. If it?s a block of flats where you can?t tell the exact flat though, I guess it might come down to whether they have any intelligence to pinpoint a suspect (and get a warrant).

It sounds like you?re being fobbed off. Does your home insurance provided have any suggestions?

[rendelharris]

Don't do anything yourself! Ain't a computer on earth worth getting stabbed for. If it's a specific location (as PR says, if you can pinpoint one residence) the police should be addressing, if they won't, asking to speak with their commanding officer usually does the trick.

[theron]

From what I can gather from a little bit of research, the property is a particular property, although might be converted into 2 flats or something similar.

Unfortunately no insurance (!!!), will see what avenue we can take and whether we can push for a warrant. So frustrating knowing that your treasured items and irreplaceable hard drive are a stones throw away from your home from where it was stolen!

Thanks so much for your advice peckham_ryu

[JohnL]

Could have been sold on I suppose - but I've heard the police won't enter in these circumstances.

You'd think you could hire a private security firm (OK costs would be high - but I'd do it for vengeance - I had my iPhone X stolen in December and still not got over the revenge feelings)

[JohnL]

These people do it for companies - so must be people who do it privately (or through insurance)

https://www.investigate.uk/legal-litigation-services/asset-recovery/

[theron]

Not planning on doing anything stupid just yet :) just weighing up options and i suppose trying to be tactical and clever!

Thanks rendelharris, if nothing is taken further I will indeed be asking to speak to their commanding officer.

John L - good point. I have contacted a few local pawn and gadget shops, have checked on eBay, gumtree etc. Was stolen this morning at approx 4am along with other treasured items, i suppose they might have shifted it all by now. Sorry to hear about your iPhone, perhaps we start a vengeance volunteer group for our own peace of mind...

[JohnL]

I never saw a sign of mine alive again - logged it on https://www.immobilise.com/ too (you can flag it as stolen)

They tried to take money out of my bank account for months from my stolen card which was cancelled (I got all that back of course) - must have been professionals :)

[Sue]

theron Wrote:

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>

> Unfortunately no insurance (!!!)

I don't mean to rub salt into the wound, and of course I'm sorry your things were stolen, but - I can't help wondering why you have no insurance for "treasured items" and why your hard drive is "irreplaceable"?

Do you not back up your hard drive? I use Carbonite, which backs everything up automatically, but there are many other options, I'm sure.

It's not just in case of theft, it also enables you to retrieve some or all of your stuff in case of computer meltdown or human error. It saved my bacon when I once accidentally permanently deleted some important files.

Anyway, I hope you get your things back!

[JohnL]

I have no content insurance at the moment either - when Halifax (my bank) tried to get me some it was refused due to "flood risk" - I'm 4th floor :)

It was outright refusal to insure. I'm sure some companies do insure but their are issues in Peckham Rye/Dulwich (maybe others know more).

[theron]

Sue Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> theron Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> >

> > Unfortunately no insurance (!!!)

>

>

> I don't mean to rub salt into the wound, and of

> course I'm sorry your things were stolen, but - I

> can't help wondering why you have no insurance for

> "treasured items" and why your hard drive is

> "irreplaceable"?

>

> Do you not back up your hard drive? I use

> Carbonite, which backs everything up

> automatically, but there are many other options,

> I'm sure.

>

> It's not just in case of theft, it also enables

> you to retrieve some or all of your stuff in case

> of computer meltdown or human error. It saved my

> bacon when I once accidentally permanently deleted

> some important files.

>

> Anyway, I hope you get your things back!

The iMac and Laptop etc belonged to (and were stolen from) my boyfriend, who is currently technically a "lodger" in a shared house. The dodgy landlord claims he has house insurance, but we have been informed that as there was no sign of damage upon entry (they slipped the latch), the house insurance doesn't cover it.

We have both recently graduated from Uni, and we are both just getting steady on our feet both financially and in new jobs etc. I guess life after uni for us has been about making sure we can afford rent and food each month, and not currently additional extras (and luxuries?!) such as insurance. I guess an extra 20 quid a month for contents insurance doesn't seem like a lot (especially in circumstances like this), but to some it is!

The hard drive is "irreplaceable" as no, unfortunately it was not backed up. I will tell him about Carbonite for the future, but at the moment he is pretty gutted as all his hard work from Uni and his Art were backed up from his Mac to his hard drive. I guess this will teach us! Thanks Sue for your recommendations.

As he was planning on moving over the next couple of months, I guess contents insurance was something that was on the horizon of us thinking about, but unfortunately never got round to. We will definitely be looking at contents insurance now, knowing that the house insurance doesn't cover it.

[theron]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I have no content insurance at the moment either -

> when Halifax (my bank) tried to get me some it was

> refused due to "flood risk" - I'm 4th floor :)

>

> It was outright refusal to insure. I'm sure some

> companies do insure but their are issues in

> Peckham Rye/Dulwich (maybe others know more).

:o the world is truly bonkers!

[IlonaM]

theron Wrote:

>

> We have both recently graduated from Uni, and we

> are both just getting steady on our feet both

> financially and in new jobs etc. I guess life

> after uni for us has been about making sure we can

> afford rent and food each month, and not currently

> additional extras (and luxuries?!) such as

> insurance. I guess an extra 20 quid a month for

> contents insurance doesn't seem like a lot

> (especially in circumstances like this), but to

> some it is!

>

Always get contents insurance - especially in this area! Shop around online and you'll find some good deals, especially if you pay up front rather than spreading it over the year. Often comes with free additional benefits like telephone legal advice which can be extremely useful. I treat it as a basic necessity, like paying rent & utilities.

[JohnL]

Had a quick look and seems like between ?60 and ?160 per year for my flat with a random major insurer

of course the "flood warning alert" popped up when submit was hit before - if it was "flat roof warning alert" I'd understand :)

[IlonaM]

JohnL Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Had a quick look and seems like between ?60 and

> ?160 per year for my flat with a random major

> insurer

>

> of course the "flood warning alert" popped up when

> submit was hit before - if it was "flat roof

> warning alert" I'd understand :)

Not bad quotes JohnL. Maybe a broker could help iron out the 'flood warning alert' issue? Would need a mighty flood to reach you up on the fourth floor though...

[Sue]

I see contents insurance as a necessity, not a luxury, particularly in London or any big city, where there are likely to be more thieves than in the country.

You can go online on a comparison site and put in your details and get quotes for insurance. I think?

Normally you would also be covered for items stolen outside the home (eg on public transport) depending on exactly what's included in the policy.

iPhones and iMacs, however - they are what I would class as luxuries, unless they've dropped in price considerably since the last time I looked :))

Also - how did they slip the latch? Does your door not have a mortice lock? My house insurer insists on that, and I would have thought your landlord's would. If it does, and he hasn't provided one, then surely he is the one to blame here? Though I wouldn't have thought his insurance would cover your personal possessions anyway, though I may be wrong.

[se22cat]

I'm really sorry to hear about what happened and it's maddening to hear that the police can't even be arsed to do anything about it, or are unable to due to lack of funding or maybe their rules state they aren't to pursue this kind of thing, I have no idea, I get the feeling that most police would like to help and do more but are unable to do so due to how they are governed. Either way, it sucks : (

Regarding archives and backups, when choosing an option, I highly recommend your boyfriend takes a look into the following sub on reddit. He might also want to build a NAS for your home, and another identical one for his parents or trusted friend or relation that he can also send backups to. If the company he has a plan with doesn't have adequate emergency planing, or indeed, simply goes bust, taking all the data with them, it's good to have that always recommended third copy of everything in place.

I know it's an extra expense, but, sadly I guess he's unfortunately learnt first hand that without an offiste backup, your data is about as safe as a biscuit at a tea party.

https://www.reddit.com/r/DataHoarder/

[Robert Poste's Child]

I'm sorry to rant but it absolutely incenses me that you've reported the crime, you've tracked your stuff to a precise location, you've told the police - and they still won't take any action We don't pay them to issue crime numbers for insurance companies! Hassle them, go on the Met and Mayor's social media feeds, email your local councillor, ask your MP to raise a question in Parliament about efficient use of police resources / cutting crime and/or contact the Standard or DM.

If the police won't police, how much longer will it be till people go back to the traditional method of going to the pub to hire some muscle and paying the lowlifes a visit?

[uncleglen]

what is the point of trackers if not to TRACK down your stuff. Also buying stolen property is handling stolen goods surely- and is therefore a crime.....

[ianr]

"The phone-tracking software gives many users peace of mind ? but when my phone was stolen last week, police told me they could not go knocking on doors to find it" https://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/apr/04/find-my-iphone-track-thieves 4/4/2014

[KidKruger]

does the tracking only work when stolen phone is switched on ?

[JohnL]

KidKruger Wrote:

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> does the tracking only work when stolen phone is

> switched on ?

Yes - if they turn it off you can't see anything (mine was turned off from the moment they took it)

[prit]

I chatted with someone in a similar situation who said she had experienced the same and the police told her they would not go to the address where her phone was tracked to 'unless they were known to the police'. Surely this is the point when they become known?! What's all that guff about building up intelligence?

[ianr]

I can understand a JP not being willing to authorise a search warrant for a fishing expedition. Particularly if there was no evidence of the accuracy of the GPS system in the particular instance. But I'm left wondering how summary the police decision was. Is it known whether they'd checked for anything, such as records of known persons or similar incidents linked to the address, that might raise reasonable suspicion?

I suppose it's possible to stand outside the place, dial the number and listen for any ringing. A hit, or better two, at that stage, preferably recorded, would I hope make it difficult for the police not to get involved, even if only to prevent a possible breach of the peace while you try to persuade the occupier to return your property. You don't know or can prove that the occupier stole the phone, or that they knew or believed it to be stolen property, so can't assume that they are committing any offence. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/60/crossheading/offences-relating-to-goods-stolen-etc The police can arrest once they have reasonable suspicion.

[KidKruger]

I have to say, if someone had my phone in their house I'd be knocking for it (and watching for it to be switched-off) after I'd knocked.

With witnesses obvs (tougher friends).