Found iPad

[billybanana]

I have an iPad but cannot find the owner.

It was left in a rental car and the rental company is unable to give out any info as to who rented the car etc.

I figured the person that lost it was beat so because I needed a password to do anything with it I decided to do a restore and that worked to get it opened and get to an activation page.

Now it says the activation has a lock on it and says the owner has used findmyiphone to locate it. I have had it hooked up to the internet now for about 2 weeks in hopes of getting some message that will allow me to return it to the owner but I am unsure if they are even still looking for it at this point. It was found about 2 months ago, any suggestions as to what to do next?

 

[J. A.]

Welcome to iPad Forums!

Without restoring it, Siri might have been able to tell you the name of the owner, if that feature was used on that device.
Now that you’re already on the activation lock screen, the only option is to give the device to law enforcement.

 

[billybanana]

I couldn't do ANYTHING before the restore. It needed a 4 digit code and after trying the 1234 4321 type guesses it locked me out. Im not giving it to law enforcement, I know too many cops that have told me those thing NEVER make it back to the owner and end up being thrown away. Im better off keeping it for parts for my son's iPad.
Does anyone know how findmyipad works? I would have thought the thing would have contacted the owner now that I have it hooked up to wifi...

 

[J. A.]

Find my iPad shows the location of the lost device on a map. It can also send a sound or a message to the iPad, as well as lock the device, or wipe it remotely.

 

[billybanana]

OK so technically the owner should be able to see where it is on a map (if they are still looking for that is) but can they contact me with a message on the iPad or something???
thanks

 

[J. A.]

They can show a message with their phone number on the lock screen, if they’re still able to access it via iCloud.

 

[billybanana]

ok thanks, hopefully I get a message soon

 

[scifan57]

I couldn't do ANYTHING before the restore. It needed a 4 digit code and after trying the 1234 4321 type guesses it locked me out. Im not giving it to law enforcement, I know too many cops that have told me those thing NEVER make it back to the owner and end up being thrown away. Im better off keeping it for parts for my son's iPad.
Does anyone know how findmyipad works? I would have thought the thing would have contacted the owner now that I have it hooked up to wifi...

That iPad does not belong to you and you should make every effort to get it back to the original owner and that includes turning it in to the proper authorities.

 

[NSquirrel]

Would taking it into an Apple Store help locate the owner?

 

[scifan57]

Would taking it into an Apple Store help locate the owner?

Possibly, but they won't tell the person bringing the iPad in.

 

[NSquirrel]

Quite agree about not telling the person bringing in the iPad, but would the Apple Store be able to contact, e.g. email, the owner as they would be able to trace it, one assumes, through the serial number?

 

[J. A.]

I don’t think Apple will be able to find out who owns this device, especially if the current owner is not the one who purchased it.

Apple always points out that data on a device, even if stored online (in iCloud) are encrypted, which makes sure they don’t know who is using the device, or what is stored on it/in iCloud.

 

[J. A.]

@billybanana
When finding the iPad, the first step would have been to give it to the rental company, as they could have given back the device to the owner, since they know who used that car.

And no matter what some cops told you:
The right thing to do in your current situation is to give it to law enforcement, or a Lost and Found service.

 

[billybanana]

no bringing it to apple does nothing because of their privacy policy. and I AM MAKING EVERY EFFORT to get it back to the owner... why do you think I posted the questions I did. If you think for one moment that the "proper authorities" give a rats ass about this sort of thing you are fooling yourself! They have real things to work on not getting some dummy's iPad back to them

 

[billybanana]

show me a "lost and found service" J.A.! The right thing would have been to give it to the rental company yes if...
A. people did their jobs correctly (which if they did they would have found the iPad when inspecting the car for damage and cleanliness after rental usage).
B. the car was not damaged and then transported to a body shop where it sat for 2 weeks
I did not rent the car and NO ONE knows what satellite agency had the car last. my father works for a body shop that transports and repairs these cars.
It definitely wasn't as simple as "give it back to the rental agency".