Phone lost at IAH (17 Aug 2018) & now found
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
Phone lost at IAH (17 Aug 2018) & now found
I had my cell phone stolen just before I boarded a flight this morning from IAH to DEN. I used the Find My iPhone app on my iPad to track its whereabouts as I flew back to Denver. The phone roamed around the tarmac for awhile, most likely in an employees' pocket, and then came back into the terminal. The screenshot above shows its current location, which I would guess is a trash bin near Gate E21 at IAH. It was stationary there for two hours before I lost the signal. If anyone is departing from that part of the airport today I would appreciate it if they could have a quick look around at that location for it. It is in a red case with a return address label stuck on the back. It is disabled now but will still light up with the "if found please call..." message on the front. I could find no-one at IAH who was interested in helping me - the police have a policy of not looking in trash for stolen items!
Last edited by economyplusfan; Aug 17, 2018 at 1:13 pm Reason: Clarity
#2
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Posts: 1,700
Have you tried contacting UA's lost and found in case it's not in the trash?
I empathize with you, but if I lost an item personally that I believed was in the trash, I would find gloves and do it myself rather than ask a police officer (not saying you didn't do this as I couldn't tell from your post, just trying to say that asking the police would have been a lost cause unless you had proof someone took it / stole it / a crime was committed). That's not their job.
I empathize with you, but if I lost an item personally that I believed was in the trash, I would find gloves and do it myself rather than ask a police officer (not saying you didn't do this as I couldn't tell from your post, just trying to say that asking the police would have been a lost cause unless you had proof someone took it / stole it / a crime was committed). That's not their job.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 19,400
I know the newest iPhones are quite advanced, but I don't believe they can yet grow legs and move around the tarmac and into the terminal of their own volition. That pattern of motion certain does tend to indicate it was in an employee's possession. I'm not so sure about it being in a trash can. The person who was moving about the tarmac with it may have had "regrets" and left it in a more accesible place. Nevertheless, it's hardly possible for OP to carry out a search in person in IAH when s/he is in DN.
#4
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We can't tell from the OP how it was stolen. So an alternative story might be an employee found it, looked around for the owner, then had to continue to go about their job (which may have involved walking around the tarmac) and eventually put it in a drawer at a gate, to be handed to L&F when there was an opportunity to deal with it. Maybe the OP will get a call one of these days?
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
We can't tell from the OP how it was stolen. So an alternative story might be an employee found it, looked around for the owner, then had to continue to go about their job (which may have involved walking around the tarmac) and eventually put it in a drawer at a gate, to be handed to L&F when there was an opportunity to deal with it. Maybe the OP will get a call one of these days?
Having just watched Murder on the Orient Express, my deduction that it was in a garbage can comes from the following careful observations: 1) it was stationary for so long after moving about for about an hour. If it were left out in the open someone would have found it and likely moved it to a UA desk or the lost and found or responded to the "If found please call xxx xxx-xxxx" message that I set remotely (one can do all of this with the Find My iPhone app); 2) there being no response when I made the phone ring remotely on several occasions; and 3) the GPS location is more in the center of the terminal than where the UA gates are.
I have no idea who stole it. The police did say they would look at tape to see if they could identify the thief.
#6
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,616
To the OP, how did someone steal a phone from you? Or would it be better worded as someone found your misplaced phone?
If you realized it was missing before boarding; why not alert the gate agent of the dilemma and standby for a later flight, while staying in IAH.
If you realized it was missing before boarding; why not alert the gate agent of the dilemma and standby for a later flight, while staying in IAH.
#7
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
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Probably splitting hairs, but did you accidentally leave it, or was it physically stolen from you?
also, in a building, accuracy of location is often not very accurate. My phone shows its currently on the next street, but Im typing from it.. That other street is 200 yards away.
also, in a building, accuracy of location is often not very accurate. My phone shows its currently on the next street, but Im typing from it.. That other street is 200 yards away.
#8
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: What I write is my opinion alone..don't read into it anything not written.
Posts: 9,684
I was indeed in the air when it ended up at its final resting place. Otherwise, I would have torn the whole of concourse E up looking for it.
Having just watched Murder on the Orient Express, my deduction that it was in a garbage can comes from the following careful observations: 1) it was stationary for so long after moving about for about an hour. If it were left out in the open someone would have found it and likely moved it to a UA desk or the lost and found or responded to the "If found please call xxx xxx-xxxx" message that I set remotely (one can do all of this with the Find My iPhone app); 2) there being no response when I made the phone ring remotely on several occasions; and 3) the GPS location is more in the center of the terminal than where the UA gates are.
I have no idea who stole it. The police did say they would look at tape to see if they could identify the thief.
Having just watched Murder on the Orient Express, my deduction that it was in a garbage can comes from the following careful observations: 1) it was stationary for so long after moving about for about an hour. If it were left out in the open someone would have found it and likely moved it to a UA desk or the lost and found or responded to the "If found please call xxx xxx-xxxx" message that I set remotely (one can do all of this with the Find My iPhone app); 2) there being no response when I made the phone ring remotely on several occasions; and 3) the GPS location is more in the center of the terminal than where the UA gates are.
I have no idea who stole it. The police did say they would look at tape to see if they could identify the thief.
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,186
It's entirely possible that the phone never moved. Assisted GPS also uses WiFi, as I understand it, which is then relying on the location information being set properly on the WiFi base station. (If you've ever moved and found that your phone still thought you were at your old home, now you know why...)
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
Yes, I could have done this. Because of the event I was flustered. I somehow thought that Find My iPhone would work: I would message the thief that I know where the phone is and they need to give it back to me. I have never lost a phone before, so I was in rookie mode.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Aug 17, 2018 at 2:50 pm Reason: repaired quote
#12
Join Date: Jul 2015
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Having actually had my phone stolen most thief's turn the phone off immediately so you can't track them. Some will even immediately take the battery out. Typically they are stolen for parts. The fact that you could still follow it is actually unusual and maybe security of someone has found it. I have to assume you tried to call it.
#13
Join Date: Feb 2017
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Agree with much of what has already been said. Sorry for the inconvenience. Theft is when something is physically removed from yourself or a secure location. A "lost" item is everything else. So did someone remove this from your person? (edit> so I saw later post documenting how it was "lost".
Speaking from experience in trying to track lost iPhones... there is no reliable and consistent way to track these down to the foot on a concistent basis. The signal jumps around (or rather the device on a map). One can get it down to a house, a driveway, maybe a building... but saying it is in a trash can, a drawer etc. just because it stopped moving is an interesting theory/conclusion. Even Tile trackers cannot do that (but then you have to be within 30 feet for those things to work ;-)
Speaking from experience in trying to track lost iPhones... there is no reliable and consistent way to track these down to the foot on a concistent basis. The signal jumps around (or rather the device on a map). One can get it down to a house, a driveway, maybe a building... but saying it is in a trash can, a drawer etc. just because it stopped moving is an interesting theory/conclusion. Even Tile trackers cannot do that (but then you have to be within 30 feet for those things to work ;-)
Last edited by Collierkr; Aug 17, 2018 at 2:43 pm Reason: later post update from OP
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: DEN
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 754
It's entirely possible that the phone never moved. Assisted GPS also uses WiFi, as I understand it, which is then relying on the location information being set properly on the WiFi base station. (If you've ever moved and found that your phone still thought you were at your old home, now you know why...)