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Smart Thieves Wise Up To Smart Phones: Turn 'Em Off To Disable Tracking
By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 26, 2012
Modified Mar 26, 2012
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Mar 26, 2012
Modified Mar 26, 2012
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It was fun while it lasted! For the last few months the NYPD has been doing quite well for itself recovering stolen iPhones using Apple's Find My iPhone feature. Cops even got training to use the software. But—and this isn't surprising since the NYPD (and we in the media) kept harping on the news—apparently the crooks have started to catch on. "Whatever surprise we had, that surprise is out the window now," one Manhattan police source cried to the Post.
Basically, when a thief now steals an iPhone the first thing that they do is turn it off. That way its GPS can't be traced. "At least 80 percent of the time, the phone is off by the time it’s reported stolen," the source tells the tabloid.
And smart thieves are apparently even going one step further when it comes to the smart phones: "In larger robberies, some thieves are even protecting themselves by leaving any iPhones behind." Of course, not all robbers are smart. So we can probably expect a few more "Find My iPhone" collars before the year is out.
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cell phone
find my iphone
find my phone
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nypd
Garth Johnston
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