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My P900 got stolen recently
I filed a case with our City Department of Police (it was uneasy but the phone contained important information belonging to my employer, so some connections were used..). I was promised that they would instruct the two GSM companies to watch for the phone to go online. Apparently, they can track down phones by their IMEI once somebody makes a call from them.
However, I am not completely convinced that the police did in fact tell the cellular companies "to watch the air." However, if we assume they did, what is the probability that they will be able to actually find the phone, and therefore the person who actually is in possession? The most disturbing thing is that I know for sure only two people could possible take my phone and neither would tell the truth. I can't possibly imaging taking somebody's property...that's outrageous... but I guess I'm getting too emotional..
The question is, actually, several-fold:
1. What, in your opinion, is the probability that the phone will be tracked down, assuming the IMEI remains intact?
2. Is is true that IMEI can be re-programmed? That being the case, I guess my phone is gone for sure...
3. In your country, is it easy to ask the police for help, provided you have all supporting documents proving your ownership (receipt, box, contract with the GSM company, etc. - I have them all)?
4. Generally, what is the statistics of this kind of theft? I guess not very encouraging, but just wondering... In my country, cellular phone theft is crime #1 by far, and the statistics of returned phones is close to zero.
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[ This Message was edited by: rturro on 2004-09-26 09:22 ]
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Posted: 2004-09-26 10:18:17
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On 2004-09-26 10:18:17, rturro wrote:
My P900 got stolen recently
I filed a case with our City Department of Police (it was uneasy but the phone contained important information belonging to my employer, so some connections were used..). I was promised that they would instruct the two GSM companies to watch for the phone to go online. Apparently, they can track down phones by their IMEI once somebody makes a call from them.
However, I am not completely convinced that the police did in fact tell the cellular companies "to watch the air." However, if we assume they did, what is the probability that they will be able to actually find the phone, and therefore the person who actually is in possession? The most disturbing thing is that I know for sure only two people could possible take my phone and neither would tell the truth. I can't possibly imaging taking somebody's property...that's outrageous... but I guess I'm getting too emotional..
The question is, actually, several-fold:
1. What, in your opinion, is the probability that the phone will be tracked down, assuming the IMEI remains intact?
I'd say about 25%--it could shipped to another country (ebay) etc.
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2. Is is true that IMEI can be re-programmed? That being the case, I guess my phone is gone for sure...
Yes, you can reprogram it with a terminator dongle and software.
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3. In your country, is it easy to ask the police for help, provided you have all supporting documents proving your ownership (receipt, box, contract with the GSM company, etc. - I have them all)?
Couldn't tell ya, but its sure to help.
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4. Generally, what is the statistics of this kind of theft? I guess not very encouraging, but just wondering... In my country, cellular phone theft is crime #1 by far, and the statistics of returned phones is close to zero.
Well, then, i guess youre screwed, man. Better hope those connections work!
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Posted: 2004-09-26 10:27:00
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In the UK mobile theft is common. There is one number to phone and that blocks the phone. It's an offence to reprogram a phone and most theft is by kids and drug users so making the phone useless will hopefully stop so many thefts.
This message was posted from a T68i
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Posted: 2004-09-26 10:28:18
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thing is, even a little kid can change the IMEI #
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Posted: 2004-09-26 10:33:00
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baseballfanz Posts: > 500
At least now you have a good reason to get the P910.
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:22:12
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On 2004-09-26 10:18:17, rturro wrote:
1. What, in your opinion, is the probability that the phone will be tracked down, assuming the IMEI remains intact?
2. Is is true that IMEI can be re-programmed? That being the case, I guess my phone is gone for sure...
None imho. They can indeed see in which vicinity the phone makes contact with a cell.... so they can narrow it down to a vicinity where the phone is being used. However I've yet to see the first police squad lock down the area and check every mobile user. Mobile theft is not that high on the list opf priorities
And indeed... IMEI's are fairly easy to change and LOADS of people (including myself) have the equipment to do it. not that I'd ever change an IMEI for any reason...
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On 2004-09-26 10:18:17, rturro wrote:
3. In your country, is it easy to ask the police for help, provided you have all supporting documents proving your ownership (receipt, box, contract with the GSM company, etc. - I have them all)?
Well....... here (in Amsterdam) reporting a stolen phone, stolen bike, ransacked car... all get zero attention. You file a report, they promise to keep you updated about the case and that's the last you'll ever hear from them. Only real reason to still file the report is that you need it to claim insurane with over here.
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On 2004-09-26 10:18:17, rturro wrote:
4. Generally, what is the statistics of this kind of theft? I guess not very encouraging, but just wondering... In my country, cellular phone theft is crime #1 by far, and the statistics of returned phones is close to zero.
Too high. Mobile phone theft, like pick pocketing and bicycle theft, is just 'one of those things' apparently.
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:38:34
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just to remind everyone, changing the imei is a stupid idea and is illegal in alot of countries. anyway noone here can change the OTP imei. Changing the imei (GDFs area) can cause some problems with network availability.
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:40:58
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Well....... here (in Amsterdam) reporting a stolen phone, stolen bike, ransacked car... all get zero attention. You file a report, they promise to keep you updated about the case and that's the last you'll ever hear from them. Only real reason to still file the report is that you need it to claim insurane with over here.
Same in UK, all you do is go to the police station give them the phone model, colour, imei number and thats it (it is required by the insurance company to report it to the police and get the reference number to the report that you made and pass it on to them)
About changing IMEI, its illegal, jsut like changing the identity of a stolen car
People can steal phones change the imei no. and when you report it to your network to get the phone blocked, it wont get blocked because the identity is now different.
Cant manufacurers do something in the fw to prevent imei being changed?
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[ This Message was edited by: Lynx69 on 2004-09-26 14:44 ]
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:42:01
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2 baseballfanz:
thanks
actually started to think about it. However bitter the loss is, the P910 looks more and more attractive somehow
After all, 262,000 colors is better than 64K..
Thanks for cheering me up
2 Vlammetje
the thing is, I am not actually that much interested in the criminal case itself, but in the opportunity (provided there is good will on the part of the two GSM operators - yes, we only have two GSM and two CDMA companies for the whole country, that's Kazakhstan) to track down the phone and link it up to the identity of person in possession. In other words, if the thief throws away my SIM card and inserts his, no matter which company's, when he makes a call the company(ies) will be able to record the IMEI (again, provided it hasn't been altered) and thereby determine the identity of this person. After that, they would report it to the police, the police would get in contact with me, etc... Now, however, I more and more realize how "unprobable" this scenario is... to my disappointment..
Anyways, thanks everyone for sharing your views and opinions..
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:50:00
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@rturro - If you have to get your phone back because it's not insured the ONLY chance you have is if you know the local crooks - they will know which fcukwit is trying to sell it on as it's a rare phone.
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Posted: 2004-09-26 15:58:33
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