IPad Stolen

[dale600rr]

Hi all,

I have had the misfortune of having my bosses IPad stolen out of my suitcase on the way home to South Africa from the US yesterday/today. I bought myself and my boss each an IPad in June and had it shipped to my brother in the US who I have just been visiting. I used mine while in New York for the past 10 days or so and took it in my on-board luggage but kept my bosses' 64GB 3G in the sealed box and packed it into my luggage for the journey home. When I got to SA this morning and picked up my bags, I could immediately see that they had been tampered with and both locks broken off. Only the IPad (and a kindle that I got for my wife) are missing, fortunately they didn't take the perfumes and some of the other things but I'm obviously highly peeved and down $1100. Hopefully the airline or insurance will pay out but it's little consolation...

So my questions for all of you, is there any way to blacklist an IPad with apple? I don't think it'll ever be recovered but knowing that it's unusable will make me feel a lot better. Same with the Kindle if anyone knows about that. I have the serial numbers of both devices.

I don't know whether it was stolen in SA or in the US but my suspicions are that it was at JFK since they x-rayed the bags there and would have known exactly what was inside. It was almost as if they targeted my 2 bags and knew what they were looking for.

Thanks!
Dale

 

[Purpleorchid]

Wow, sorry to hear that. I don't fly often, but when I do, anything that I don't want stolen comes with me as carry-on.

You can try phoning Apple to see what can be done about "blacklisting" an iPad if/when it gets registered via iTunes.

 

[MikesTooLz]

it can only be tracked down if it was opened already and a mobile me account was setup on it.


Thats really bad news. I don't understand how someone think its ok to just take things that are not theirs.

 

[Itzxdjx]

Yeah so scum bag at the airport decided he wanted early Christmas presents. Sorry too hear that! Yeah the only way would be with mobile me

 

[DavidNM]

it can only be tracked down if it was opened already and a mobile me account was setup on it.


Thats really bad news. I don't understand how someone think its ok to just take things that are not theirs.

You sure? Dont' they do some kind of tracking using the MAC ID address when registering with iTunes?

 

[didisinned]

I'm really sorry about this =\ and yeah it's so messed up but Airports do this ALL the time! They really should screen the people working there. I don't know if theres anything you can do about it if you havent even activated it through itunes... future reference make sure to keep it on the carry on

 

[Smithy12]

I'm sure once the device is hook- up to iTunes apple would be able to link the device to an address if the scum*ag register thru iTunes.

Hopefully you won't be out of pocket .......buddy

 

[MikesTooLz]

it can only be tracked down if it was opened already and a mobile me account was setup on it.


Thats really bad news. I don't understand how someone think its ok to just take things that are not theirs.

You sure? Dont' they do some kind of tracking using the MAC ID address when registering with iTunes?

nope, you must have mobile me account and have it setup on the device. only way to track its location.

 

[King Hal]

A real pisser having your kit stolen. Sorry to the forum's US members but some of your airports are just terrible. Passing through Miami airport is just awful.

 

[windycitycouple]

Yes you can. Call Apple and they will blacklist the serial number as long as you have a reciept showing the purchase with the serial number attached.

I know several people already responded to the "can you track the IPad" but I don't believe that was your question.

Good luck.

 

[Ultrimate]

Look, dude, I kidnapped your iPad, I followed you on your trip to South Africa, stalked you out at the airport and nabbed your iPad.. Don't take it personal, if you want your iPad back, send 300 bucks to my paypal account..

You have till midnight tonight, If the transaction isn't made by 11:59 pm tonight, I shoot your iPad..

If you wanna talk to your iPad to make sure he's still alive we can arrange something..

Also, I took a picture of your iPad with today's newspaper so you can see that the iPad is alive today.. MSG me and I will send you this pic.

Remember 11:59 pm












Lol

 

[BrennB]

That's what I was thinking, it can't be physically tracked as in gps or what not but you can report the serial number as stolen. I'd hope before the the if activates it. I'm not sure if it would affect it if he's already set it up.... Maybe

 

[Dr.Gee]

When my touch got stolen,apple said s# would be of no use.airlines tend not to cover expensive items such as that.

 

[dale600rr]

Thanks all for the replies, some made me feel a lot better - others, well made me laugh I'm not expecting to get the device back, I'm just hoping that it can be blacklisted so that it can't be used in future.

@windycitycouple: Any idea who to call? Do I call 1-800-MY-APPLE or is there another number I can call? I'm obviously outside of the US now so cannot get apple to call me back...

Thanks again!

 

[Crackalaka]

Apple will not do anything at all, they would have to set up a whole separate legal/tracking department just to deal with all the police and legal issues involved with recovery, just not gonna happen...The best thing you can do is report this to the police/airport police department and file a report with the info and serial numbers of the devices so if they are recovered as potential stolen you can recover them, Apple has the technology to track by serial numbers as they do with repairs and so forth, but the legal issues as to who stole what and proof of such far outweigh the return..That's why they instituted the mobile me app to help YOU in the recovery.