Anyone have luck with DPD recovering stolen Ipad???

**Farnsworthfarms** · June-21-12, 10:27 AM

I was having dinner in SW and cameout to a broken in car with all my family's stuff gone, they took my dirty laundry and my wifes book bag. He bag had her school books and her Ipad...called the detroit police and told them hold I have tracked the Ipad with the GPS tracking divice and they we not interested in coming out to recover it...i mean how much closer to my stuff do I need to be????

Does anyone have any connection with DPD they want to shared before I remote wipe it clear?? I am still inside the first 24hours...by this afternoon I will wipe it to be safe but if I do I will lose the tracking, what to do. I can live without, but those danm college books, half way thru her term, are important...

On a side note...f mexican town! I swear there were security guards all over the lot, nothing. I went to the house[[or the closest house) where the tracking showed up and asked if the negibors saw anybody drop my stuff, they said no...but I found my kids bag on the curb! The resturant did not have any contact with the police, so this will be my last time supporting those businesses.

sorry for the rant. I have lived in this city a long time and have had alot of 'hood tax' but being able to locate your stuff and not be able to get it with out the threat of force is too much stress.

thanks in advance...

**DetroitPlanner** · June-21-12, 10:58 AM

If you are a resident, I would contact the Ombudsman and the City Council. After all you pay a lot in property and income taxes and should get some service, particularly when you have the ability to track the perp.

I can recall when I was in college, my car broken into in Dearborn. They took my bookbag as well. Surprisingly the cops found the perps who were driving around and breaking into cats, but just a warning, my books were kept as evidence for several weeks. I learned the hard way to keep my books out of sight.

**DetroitTeacher** · June-21-12, 11:08 AM

Breaking into cats...tee hee. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

Surprisingly the cops found the perps who were driving around and breaking into cats, but just a warning, my books were kept as evidence for several weeks. I learned the hard way to keep my books out of sight.

**rutlev** · June-21-12, 11:39 AM

I hate to blame victims, but why leave all that stuff visible in your car. I've been in enough cars to realize that people treat their cars like an extra room and just toss everything into the backseat, I just don't understand it. Don't blame Mexicantown, the thieves are so quick at smash and grab that it would take a guard for every car parked to eliminate this crime.

**Gsgeorge** · June-21-12, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by rutlev

I hate to blame victims, but why leave all that stuff visible in your car. I've been in enough cars to realize that people treat their cars like an extra room and just toss everything into the backseat, I just don't understand it. Don't blame Mexicantown, the thieves are so quick at smash and grab that it would take a guard for every car parked to eliminate this crime.

Agreed, not taking your iPad inside was a big mistake to begin with. This would happen anywhere, not just in Detroit. Stuff laying out in cars is a big target for smash-and-grab thieves. I've lived in Detroit for years now, never leave anything in my car, regularly park on the street, and never have had a problem.

The book bag was the target, not the laundry, that was just a bonus.

Good luck with DPD, I'm sure stolen iPads are high on the list of priorities...

**313WX** · June-21-12, 11:49 AM

I wasn't going to blame the victim, but I agree with rutlev and Gsgeorge.

Never leave expensive items where someone can easily steal them.

**iheartthed** · June-21-12, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by rutlev

I hate to blame victims, but why leave all that stuff visible in your car. I've been in enough cars to realize that people treat their cars like an extra room and just toss everything into the backseat, I just don't understand it. Don't blame Mexicantown, the thieves are so quick at smash and grab that it would take a guard for every car parked to eliminate this crime.

I'm guessing it was in a trunk? Can't believe anybody would be stupid enough to leave an iPad sitting in plain sight in a parked car in any city.

If you can track it though it's just plain incompetence that the cops won't devote any effort to locating the property. Maybe try flagging down a cop car on the street in the area where it was stolen and give them the details.

**compn** · June-21-12, 12:00 PM

call the wayne county sherrif or michigan state police, or call the fbi local office. with a gps they may be able to help. forget the dpd.

actually, call all 3, one of them will put you on hold and transfer you to a answering machine that you leave a message and no one ever calls you back. the other will say its not their problem, and the 3rd may actually help.

good luck to ya!

city council? not detroit 300? haha.

**canuck** · June-21-12, 12:22 PM

You could call Detroit 299, as of today sadly.

**poobert** · June-21-12, 01:17 PM

An Ipad, left in a car, in Southwest Detroit.

Yep, it's all MexicanTown's fault.

**Farnsworthfarms** · June-21-12, 01:24 PM

no, its not mexican towns fault...but it is thier lost business. I was hoping there would be one officer on here...I guess DetroitYes is a no.

I guess if you think I left it in plain sight....I can sell you a cheap new bridge

**wolverine** · June-21-12, 02:18 PM

Reminds me of the signs in parking garages. "Do not leave valuables in your vehicle. This garage is not responsible for lost or stolen items.".

We could hammer this out all day on the OP, but I do feel bad.

Was the device insured? Insurance companies will hassle police departments until they make an effort....especially when it can be traced so easily. As someone pointed out it's not Mexicantown's fault. The only people we should be judging live at the approximate address of your iPad location.

There's always stories here in Chicago of people getting iPhones snatched but the cops always bust them since the phones can be traced. They're probably the easiest crimes to solve.

**downtown_racine** · June-21-12, 02:25 PM

Echoing Wolverine's post, when you do have said i-Product products on your person keep them concealed or they may be taken off you. You may even be attacked for said i-Product.
In urban areas of course anywhere else you're fine.

**jpbollma** · June-21-12, 02:35 PM

I don't mean to beat a dead horse, but it is true. This happens everywhere. A friend of mine lives in Seattle. She had just purchased the new iPhone 4 and was using it on the bus. someone snatched it out of her hand and jumped out the freakin emergency exit in the back of the bus!! I really hate thieves. I live in Saginaw [[until I come down to Detroit in September) and Saginaw is pretty awful in some areas. I had an old car broken into and there wasn't even anything in it so they took the air freshener! I figured it must have been punk kids with nothing better to do.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-21-12, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitTeacher

Breaking into cats...tee hee. Sorry, couldn't resist.

The R is right next to the T. Do you actually think I look at the keyboard when I type?

**RO_Resident** · June-21-12, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

The R is right next to the T. Do you actually think I look at the keyboard when I type?

I've been wondering that for years....

But, to the OP, I wouldn't hold your breath for the iPad to be recovered.

I've experienced vehicle break-ins in Detroit, other big towns, little towns where you are friends with law enforcement. There's only a very small chance that your property will be recovered.

**Lowell** · June-21-12, 02:57 PM

Did you happen to set up the Find iPod app? If so whoever turns it on will allow it to be located. http://www.apple.com/ipad/find-my-ipad.html

**ddaydetroit** · June-21-12, 05:54 PM

Here is a data base for stolen smartphone so they can not be used again maybe they can do the same with your Ipad.
My Daughter also had hers stolen on a Detroit bus she was using it and someone walked by grabbed it out of her hands and ran off the bus.

**cycledetroit** · June-21-12, 07:30 PM

"I went to the house[[or the closest house) where the tracking showed up" - I would drive around mexican town until i saw a cop car [[i often see cops eating there) and DEMAND them to go to the house. You have the GPS showing where it is! That sucks.

**Zacha341** · June-21-12, 09:39 PM

Yeah sadly with crime as it is the DPD is NOT TRACKING an IPAD. That would be a luxury for them to do so at this point.

Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Good luck with DPD, I'm sure stolen iPads are high on the list of priorities...

**Zacha341** · June-21-12, 09:42 PM

Ipads are considered high profile, high priced [[read good profit for resell), theft candy. I would NEVER, EVER use one in public like on a bus. NEVER! An Iphone is a bit more discreet and, well mine is an older model so it's ignored now. Two people I know had Ipads snatched from their grip in public. Like a magnet thieves. Sad...

Originally Posted by ddaydetroit

Here is a data base for stolen smartphone so they can not be used again maybe they can do the same with your Ipad.
My Daughter also had hers stolen on a Detroit bus she was using it and someone walked by grabbed it out of her hands and ran off the bus.

**jtf1972** · June-21-12, 09:55 PM

So, you know the address where your iPad is located? You called the police, but to no avail? Why not go to the residence and call 911. Then report that your iPad has been stolen and you have tracked it to the place it is currently at. Inform then that you have a baseball bat, and if a police car is not there within 10 minutes they will need to send an ambulance, as you will get it back from the motherfuckers who stole it with or without law enforcement assistance.

**Zacha341** · June-21-12, 10:13 PM

Too many people 'make up' stories like that and most police consider this kind of call a 'nuisance': messy, he-said, she-said, domestic call. They'll come all right, if ever, and arrest the folks with the bat for trespass or harassment... or worse the residents might be armed with something more formidable than formed wood.

This is a lost cause due to so many reasons as mentioned IMO. Remote erase the Ipad and never leave things in view in cars.

Originally Posted by jtf1972

So, you know the address where your iPad is located? You called the police, but to no avail? Why not go to the residence and call 911. Then report that your iPad has been stolen and you have tracked it to the place it is currently at. Inform then that you have a baseball bat, and if a police car is not there within 10 minutes they will need to send an ambulance, as you will get it back from the motherfuckers who stole it with or without law enforcement assistance.

**jtf1972** · June-21-12, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

Too many people 'make up' stories like that and most police consider this kind of call a 'nuisance': messy, he-said, she-said, domestic call. They'll come all right, if ever, and arrest the folks with the bat for trespass or harassment... or worse the residents might be armed with something more formidable than formed wood.

This is a lost cause due to so many reasons as mentioned IMO. Remote erase the Ipad and never leave things in view in cars.

I completely agree with not leaving things in cars. I have a Viper alarm with motion sensor for the interior & live in a gated community. Still, last night I removed the recycle bins full of stuff to take to Recycle Here [[thanks to a power outage they were closed.) Why leave anything in the vehicle that could potentially tempt someone? There's an old saying: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Still, it would be nice to find a way to get the iPad back from some thieving bastards. Like ringing their bell with the phone to your ear & on the phone with 911... "Hi, I'm on the phone with the police right now. I want to help you out here. My iPad was stolen and the tracking software shows that it is here in this house. I don't want to get anybody in trouble, so did you recently find a bag with an iPad in it?"

I hate people... I hear Kindle is able to brick the unit remotely... I guess Apple hasn't done that yet.

**wolverine** · June-22-12, 12:20 AM

Originally Posted by jtf1972

I completely agree with not leaving things in cars. I have a Viper alarm with motion sensor for the interior & live in a gated community. Still, last night I removed the recycle bins full of stuff to take to Recycle Here [[thanks to a power outage they were closed.) Why leave anything in the vehicle that could potentially tempt someone? There's an old saying: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Still, it would be nice to find a way to get the iPad back from some thieving bastards. Like ringing their bell with the phone to your ear & on the phone with 911... "Hi, I'm on the phone with the police right now. I want to help you out here. My iPad was stolen and the tracking software shows that it is here in this house. I don't want to get anybody in trouble, so did you recently find a bag with an iPad in it?"

I hate people... I hear Kindle is able to brick the unit remotely... I guess Apple hasn't done that yet.

Apple products are easy to brick. There's at least a dozen apps out there approved by apple to destroy the device in the event it's stolen. Heck, a failed jailbreak unlock will brick the device.

I have an iphone. If it gets stolen, it's insured and replaced. For most people tracking down the device [[if insured) isn't worth the time. And despite a small deductible, you are getting a brand new...possibly new version of the device. As for the thieves, won't they be surprised the next time they turn it on and they have a really shiny paper weight.

I've confronted a thief before...in my own apartment building. She was dumb for stealing my towels from the laundry room. Not as pricey as an ipad, but definitely inconvenient. We can access security footage via cable tv so I rewound the footage and found what apartment she lived in.

Knocked on her door and said, she could come clean, return the towels, and this can all be in the past. Or she could lie, and things will get really difficult. She chose to lie. I told my landlord. She got evicted. And being that so many good apartment buildings here share tenant info, I doubt she'd find another place downtown, since she probably got blacklisted.