Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

yukunerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 13, 2016
4
0
I had a lapse in memory at the local grocery store and left my iPad at the cashiers station when I walked out. Realized about an hour or 2 later and when back. It was gone. This happened thursday at around 5:30-6pm. I went back and looked around, couldn't find it, asked the store manager and she wasn't very helpful. Said noting was turned in. didn't even ask for my name and number. I went back again, as per advice and once my head cleared and asked her to take my name and number. The following day I went back again and she said she reviewed the surveillance footage. She saw me put it down and then 5 customers later it was gone.

My lost mode is pending as it hasn't been connected to wifi yet. It has a passcode too. My gut instinct is that it is close by. I've advised local pawn shops and reported it missing on online stolen devices databases with the serial number. I called the local law enforcement, but alas- there website was outdated and they no-longer take reports for lost or stolen goods. Period.

I really need this back. Its important, i know everyone says this, but I'm determined to do anything to get it back. Is there any advice anyone can suggest about how i should proceed with this?
 

eric89074

macrumors 6502
Sep 19, 2012
292
570
You just have to wait and hope whoever took it tries to restore it and connects to wifi before it gets stuck on the apple ID log in. You should get a message from find my iPhone if they try to set it up. It was probably turned off as soon as it was taken and I'd be surprised if it ever goes online again. Usually with stolen iphones/ipads the person that took it will just trash it or sell it for anything they can get once they figure out they'll never be able to get in to it.
 

rigormortis

macrumors 68000
Jun 11, 2009
1,813
229
whatever you do , do not remove it from your iCloud account. you can erase it, and put message with a name and number, but that would stop you from locating it. your only hope is like you said, put it in lost mode and hope it connects to a known wifi network , that has connected to before! don't be like the FBI ! don't change your iCloud password!!!! LOL

this is why i buy cellular iPads. that free 200 mb T-mobile plan might of got your ipad back
 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
I had a lapse in memory at the local grocery store and left my iPad at the cashiers station when I walked out. Realized about an hour or 2 later and when back. It was gone. This happened thursday at around 5:30-6pm. I went back and looked around, couldn't find it, asked the store manager and she wasn't very helpful. Said noting was turned in. didn't even ask for my name and number. I went back again, as per advice and once my head cleared and asked her to take my name and number. The following day I went back again and she said she reviewed the surveillance footage. She saw me put it down and then 5 customers later it was gone.

My lost mode is pending as it hasn't been connected to wifi yet. It has a passcode too. My gut instinct is that it is close by. I've advised local pawn shops and reported it missing on online stolen devices databases with the serial number. I called the local law enforcement, but alas- there website was outdated and they no-longer take reports for lost or stolen goods. Period.

I really need this back. Its important, i know everyone says this, but I'm determined to do anything to get it back. Is there any advice anyone can suggest about how i should proceed with this?

You chances are slim. Seems these devices end up overseas in no time. If it was not returned quickly, chances are you will not recover. Sorry for your loss, a big lesson learned.
 

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,033
5,493
192.168.1.1
Was your name anywhere on it? Even if they turn it on, it likely won't connect to any nearby wifi networks unless you've previously set it to connect to any unsecured network (or are fortunate enough to have a cellular model with data turned on).

Sounds like it's gone unless you can personally review the security footage. Perhaps a store employee took it.
 

LiveM

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2015
1,268
614
I'm very sorry to hear that. It's something that is ofte on my mind when out and about.

Imagree with your read title: you lost your iPad and someone found it. No-one stole it.

At least you can brick it and this makes it less attractive for opportunists.
 

yukunerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 13, 2016
4
0
whatever you do , do not remove it from your iCloud account. you can erase it, and put message with a name and number, but that would stop you from locating it. your only hope is like you said, put it in lost mode and hope it connects to a known wifi network , that has connected to before! don't be like the FBI ! don't change your iCloud password!!!! LOL

this is why i buy cellular iPads. that free 200 mb T-mobile plan might of got your ipad back


ohh smart idea.... I managed to call all the local used computer stores and pawn shops too and am monitoring online stores like kijiji and eBay and amazon
[doublepost=1458002397][/doublepost]
Was your name anywhere on it? Even if they turn it on, it likely won't connect to any nearby wifi networks unless you've previously set it to connect to any unsecured network (or are fortunate enough to have a cellular model with data turned on).

Sounds like it's gone unless you can personally review the security footage. Perhaps a store employee took it.


My name was in a notepad inside the case it was in. Its registered under my name as well. I have it set up to connect to starbucks and time wifi and chapters books too. Also my local universities. The manager reviewed the footage and told me that I put it down and walked away, then 5 customers later it was gone. She didn't mention any descriptions, although that would have been helpful in recognizing the perpetrator. It'd be nice to know if it was a local high school kid since I work at the school in the area...
 

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
11,033
5,493
192.168.1.1
ohh smart idea.... I managed to call all the local used computer stores and pawn shops too and am monitoring online stores like kijiji and eBay and amazon
[doublepost=1458002397][/doublepost]


My name was in a notepad inside the case it was in. Its registered under my name as well. I have it set up to connect to starbucks and time wifi and chapters books too. Also my local universities. The manager reviewed the footage and told me that I put it down and walked away, then 5 customers later it was gone. She didn't mention any descriptions, although that would have been helpful in recognizing the perpetrator. It'd be nice to know if it was a local high school kid since I work at the school in the area...
5 customers later it was gone? So the 5th customer took it? That's what is sounds like. Maybe police can track down that customer?
 

yukunerk

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 13, 2016
4
0
5 customers later it was gone? So the 5th customer took it? That's what is sounds like. Maybe police can track down that customer?

Yea, I'm thinking they took it. But the police in my area don't actively search for lost or stolen property... and They no longer take reports, which I find bogus. So the footage means nothing.... I told them the manager had footage too!
 

brand

Suspended
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
I really need this back. Its important, i know everyone says this, but I'm determined to do anything to get it back. Is there any advice anyone can suggest about how i should proceed with this?

If it is as important as you say it is and you are determined to do anything to get it back you could hire a private investigator.
 

ProjectManager101

Suspended
Jul 12, 2015
458
722
5 customers later it was gone? So the 5th customer took it? That's what is sounds like. Maybe police can track down that customer?
Police has more important things to do.
[doublepost=1458010372][/doublepost]
If it is as important as you say it is and you are determined to do anything to get it back you could hire a private investigator.
Yes... a private investigator charges $400 just to find a phone number and address. Get a new iPad.
 

brand

Suspended
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
Yes... a private investigator charges $400 just to find a phone number and address. Get a new iPad.
That's the point I was making. Maybe the iPad is not as important as we are told that it is and the OP is not as "determined to do anything to get it back" like he says he is.
 

LiveM

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2015
1,268
614
5 customers later it was gone? So the 5th customer took it? That's what is sounds like. Maybe police can track down that customer?

They wouldn't get involved as it may not be a crime, since it probably wasn't stolen.
 

EDH667

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2009
1,035
279
Northern California
Why is it a crime?

More than likely there is a Penal Code section in every state of the United States that is comparable. By taking it from the store and not returning it to the store clerk, the person is guilty of the crime.

California Penal Code: 485-one who finds lost property under circumstances which give him knowledge of or means of inquiry as to the true owner, and who appropriates such property to his own use, or to the use of another person not entitled thereto, without first making reasonable and just efforts to find the owner and to restore the property to him.
 

masotime

macrumors 68030
Jun 24, 2012
2,865
2,841
San Jose, CA
I really need this back. Its important, i know everyone says this, but I'm determined to do anything to get it back. Is there any advice anyone can suggest about how i should proceed with this?

So I'll bite... I'm curious as to why it is so important to get this specific iPad back. Is there anything specific about it that you can't get a new iPad and just restore the information from a local or iCloud backup? Or is it because of the principle of getting back what was taken from you? Or you can't afford a new one? Or this iPad actually belongs to someone else...?

Don't get me wrong, I've lost an iPad before myself - I never got it back, despite being a cellular iPad, and had to change all my passwords (this was before iCloud and Touch ID), but apart from the initial "grief", I never needed that specific iPad back - this is what I love about iOS - one restore and everything is back to normal.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Night Spring

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,254
Jacksonville, Florida
5 customers later it was gone? So the 5th customer took it? That's what is sounds like. Maybe police can track down that customer?

You got to be kidding thousands of phone and iPad are stolen daily. No way the police are going to do a thing.

I have people having sex, shooting up heroin and smoking crack in the wood next to my office in plain site of my employees and the police will do nothing. Useless unions prevent them from doing so.
 

LiveM

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2015
1,268
614
More than likely there is a Penal Code section in every state of the United States that is comparable. By taking it from the store and not returning it to the store clerk, the person is guilty of the crime.

California Penal Code: 485-one who finds lost property under circumstances which give him knowledge of or means of inquiry as to the true owner, and who appropriates such property to his own use, or to the use of another person not entitled thereto, without first making reasonable and just efforts to find the owner and to restore the property to him.

And there's the rub.

The thing is a brick for anyone but the true owner. It hasn't been online since you lost it. So at face value there is not a good case for assuming anyone has yet committed a crime. A smart and honest person would not trust the manageress and would take it home and contact Apple.

Reasonable and just efforts... I would be pretty confident if I were the defence. The police just won't bother.
 

EDH667

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2009
1,035
279
Northern California
And there's the rub.

The thing is a brick for anyone but the true owner. It hasn't been online since you lost it. So at face value there is not a good case for assuming anyone has yet committed a crime. A smart and honest person would not trust the manageress and would take it home and contact Apple.

Reasonable and just efforts... I would be pretty confident if I were the defence. The police just won't bother.

No, a smart and honest person would have never removed it from the store and when they saw the iPad would have contacted the cashier. Just because it is currently bricked, doesn't mean there isn't any value. Grand theft and possession of stolen property are still valid charges. Also there are many threads that show that Apple usually will not try to find the owner of a bricked IOS device.
 

Mw0103

macrumors 6502
Feb 22, 2014
325
679
"Finders, keepers"? -- not so fast. In most states, only intentionally abandoned property is so-called fair game for the finder. Lost property (accidentally mislaid) remains the property of the original owner. Knowing it's not yours and taking it anyway can be theft, depending on the law of the particular jurisdiction.

Find it in the trash? Likely abandoned.

Find it on the checkout lane in a case with the owner's name inside? Likely lost.

If you can find out who took it from the video and store records, you could sue the person to get it back or get the value. Or you could maybe file a lawsuit against "John Doe" and subpoena the store for the cash register records showing the identity of shopper #5 to determine the proper named defendant.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: yukunerk

brand

Suspended
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
Grand theft and possession of stolen property are still valid charges.

For it to be classified as Grand Theft in Texas the value of the item has to exceed $2,500. I'm bot sure where someone would buy an iPad at an amount to classify it as Grand Theft but their bigger concern should be that they get ripped off.

I realize that the classification of Grand Theft varies by state depending on the dollar amount of the item stolen. I guess the point I am trying to make is that one should not declare that it is Grand Theft without full knowledge of what and where it happened. Even then it only is classified as a crime if the DA presses charges.

Wikipedia: Grand Theft
 

EDH667

macrumors 65816
Nov 25, 2009
1,035
279
Northern California
For it to be classified as Grand Theft in Texas the value of the item has to exceed $2,500. I'm bot sure where someone would buy an iPad at an amount to classify it as Grand Theft but their bigger concern should be that they get ripped off.

I realize that the classification of Grand Theft varies by state depending on the dollar amount of the item stolen. I guess the point I am trying to make is that one should not declare that it is Grand Theft without full knowledge of what and where it happened. Even then it only is classified as a crime if the DA presses charges.

Wikipedia: Grand Theft

Yes you are correct that the dollar amount for Grand Theft of the stolen item varies depending on the state. Not knowing the jurisdiction where the OP resides, and since a lot of iPads would be considered Grand Theft in many states, I made an assumption. That still doesn't change the argument that the person that took the iPad could be arrested for theft, misappropriation of lost property, possession of stolen property etc.
 

brand

Suspended
Oct 3, 2006
4,390
456
127.0.0.1
That still doesn't change the argument that the person that took the iPad could be arrested for theft, misappropriation of lost property, possession of stolen property etc.
That is true and a possible outcome if the iPad is ever recovered. That is a big if however.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.