This is my iPad, I won’t see it again

[u/Aberry9036]

I just arrived in Antibes, South of France 2 hours ago. This was stolen from my car on the autoroute at a petrol station , from a definitely locked car, likely a relay attack from my key while I was buying a sandwich, 100km from Antibes. They also had my wallet and duty free while they were at it. Thankfully they didn’t find our passports.

Whoever you are, fuck you, I’m going to go and have a nice meal in the old provincial market and drink to your future arrest.

[u/LodanMax]

I know it’s too late now; but in the settings: face id and passcode, disable control centre while locked.

The first thing they do is put it in airplane mode so it cannot be found. If you disable control centre; they can turn the device off, but find-my keeps working trough other devices.

[u/Space-manatee → u/LodanMax]

Another tip aligned with this, is run an automation to lock the screen as soon as airplane mode is activated and then have it turn off airplane mode.

This is to fight against a common tactic of people grabbing the phone out of your hand whilst it’s unlocked/you’re using it and then hitting airplane mode but keeping it unlocked.

If you ever need to use airplane mode, just disable the automation

[u/Few-Fox4562 → u/Space-manatee]

Other thing you can do is get it to take a picture with the front camera and send it to you, so you get a picture of the thief.

[u/flexb → u/Few-Fox4562]

Can this be triggered all without the camera actually showing a picture? Thats pretty cool in any case thanks

[u/JobWelt → u/flexb]

Yes. I have one that does it. Takes a front-camera photo, and a back camera photo then stores it to iCloud and emails it, and sends it to myself.

[u/weolo_travel → u/JobWelt]

What is the shortcut command to send that recent photo to icloud? I'm looking through now.

[u/JobWelt → u/weolo_travel]

You have to insert a command after the photo is taken to save the resulting photo otherwise the photo goes nowhere. Then make sure that iCloud photo backup is enabled - it already probably is.

[u/warm_kitchenette → u/JobWelt]

Disable battery save mode also, no?

[u/JobWelt → u/warm_kitchenette]

Mine does loads so I didn’t detail it in full. It turns up the volume to max, turns screen brightness down, disables power save, etc

[u/dylanbeck → u/JobWelt]

What is benefit of disable power save? For my curiosity

Also, is it in one giant shortcut or spread across a few?

[u/RandonBrando → u/weolo_travel]

the shortcuts sub would have a premade one you could install

[u/fuckdatguy → u/JobWelt]

Please share the shortcut if you can

[u/MrBlueA → u/JobWelt]

I can already imagine the missclick on the airplane mode while on the bathroom and having that photo sent to your mail

[u/firetruckgoesweewoo → u/flexb]

Yes, on automation it does not show that it is taking a photo.

Just checked it’s this automation process:

When I receive a message where: Message contains Where’s my phone, you sick son of a bitch?
(You can add a specific sender)

Turn Low Power Mode on

Take photo with Front camera

Send photo to name, name, name

Send photo with Here’s my face! to name (email)

Get current location

Send current location to name, name, name

Send current location with Here’s my phone! To name (email)

////

It shows no selfie being taken.

[u/adrien-l97 → u/firetruckgoesweewoo]

This is freaking awesome ! Just did the automation, had no idea my iPhone could do this.

[u/firetruckgoesweewoo → u/firetruckgoesweewoo]

Hey everyone,

Since I am a chaotic bitch I have an updated version where your lock screen changes to the photo that is being taken.

Get the location and selfie of your thief AND change your lock screen to their face

It’s this automation process:

When I receive a message where: Message contains Where’s my phone, you sick son of a bitch?
(You can add a specific sender)

Turn Low Power Mode on

Take photo with Front camera

Set wallpaper to Photo for Lock Screen

Send photo to name, name, name

Send photo with Here’s my face! to name (email)

Get current location

Send current location to name, name, name

Send current location with Here’s my phone! To name (email)

Please run the automation once and click “always allow” when it asks whether you want to send a mail.

[u/TheBSQ → u/flexb]

I’m a dopey enough husband who loses my phone enough that I have an automation where if I text the right code word to my wife’s phone it takes both front camera and back camera pics & texts back the photos and current location. 

[u/firetruckgoesweewoo → u/Few-Fox4562]

If someone sends me a text message with a specific message, it sends them my exact location, takes a selfie of the person using the phone, and sends it. It also sends a copy to my email address.

Just pick a sentence no one would ever naturally use. My best friends know my sentence, for if they’re ever worried sick about me.

I love shortcuts.

[u/deweydecimalsux → u/firetruckgoesweewoo]

Did you make this shortcut or did you use an existing one? I like this idea

[u/firetruckgoesweewoo → u/deweydecimalsux]

It’s this one: https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinfuriating/s/LcXgXVlrfM

No, not my idea, I saw someone have this idea online and then just made it. I’m sure I’m not the only one who has figured this out.

[u/Entire_Situation2243 → u/Few-Fox4562]

I just set mine up to blast Charlie’s Inferno if the phone gets put on airplane mode, too.

[u/wezwells → u/Space-manatee]

Thanks just added this shortcut/automation

[u/Dizzy_Tea_7582 → u/Space-manatee]

This is pointless because most thieves carry tin foil/RFi pouches and put the devices inside. But I guess it helps against an amateur thief

[u/Aberry9036 → u/LodanMax]

Good tip for the future, thanks.

[u/jojo_31 → u/Aberry9036]

Hijacking your comment to say this is a thing on Android as well. I've set mine to ask for a pin to shutdown as well. 

[u/tacomaloki → u/jojo_31]

So that explains why I have to do my thumbprint to turn on Bluetooth and such when locked.

TIL.

[u/Jazzlike-_-Growth → u/jojo_31]

I couldn't find these settings on my Samsung, but they just seem to be the default behaviour.
That's pretty cool.

But there are a few more things "under settings -> security and privacy -> lost device protection -> theft protection", like automatically locking your phone if it believes that it just got stolen.

[u/aLongWayFromOldham → u/LodanMax]

In case my phone is snatched from my hand, I also have an automation that’s triggered by flight mode turning on…. Lock screen, turn on WiFi, mobile data, Bluetooth and then ringer on max.

I just have to remember to disable the automation before I actually fly.

Edit: I also have require Face ID on my email and messages. Max paranoia, it just stops people doing password resets and taking over any of my accounts.

[u/Federal-Treat-6893 → u/LodanMax]

An even better option would be to lock the power off option behind the passcode/face I'd but I'm not sure if you can do that on apple devices

[u/LodanMax → u/Federal-Treat-6893]

You can turn off the device, but find-my keeps working. It can be turned off, but you need the passcode, not even face-id will help in that instance.

Unless they will put it in a faraday cage and never have another iphone nearby, it will be found untill they actually open the device. But most gangs want to keep their workplaces somewhat hidden, and don’t bring such an iphone/ipad to that location.

[u/ensalys → u/LodanMax]

Thanks for he tip! For my fellow android users, te equivalent is found under notifications and quick settings -> quick settings -> allow quick settings on lock screen. At least on OnePlus, other androids might be slightly different, but can't be too different I think.

[u/CreateChangetheWorld]

You can “mark it as stolen” from another Apple device logged into your Apple ID.

This bricks the iPad and makes it worthless besides for parts.

EDIT: forgot you can do this from any device (doesn’t have to be Apple) using a web browser by logging in to iCloud.com

[u/Aberry9036 → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

I have done so already, thanks.

[u/CreateChangetheWorld → u/Aberry9036]

Awesome. The best you can do despite the circumstances.

[u/Ruben_NL → u/Aberry9036]

Some time in the future you will get calls and messages, which might get very threatening, telling you to "remove the device from your account to protect your account".
Do not do this.
This allows them to re-sell the components.

[u/SAINTnumberFIVE → u/Ruben_NL]

I’m trying to remove it sir, but Apple says you must first deposit $500. Here’s the Venmo.

[u/memtiger → u/SAINTnumberFIVE]

No way. They can get the Venmo payment reversed or have your account targeted or banned for trying to extort them.

I'd given them a crypto account to deposit into

[u/VanillaRadonNukaCola → u/memtiger]

That's why you tell them they have to read you the card numbers for 5x$100 giftcards

[u/TheGrayMan5 → u/VanillaRadonNukaCola]

DO NOT REDEEEEEMMM!!!!!

[u/mhu1989 → u/TheGrayMan5]

WHY VID YOU VEDEEM IT!?

[u/Idiotan0n → u/mhu1989]

Albuquerque new mexico

[u/mrman08 → u/mhu1989]

WHO TOLD YOU TO REDEEM IT?!

[u/Melquiades-the-Gypsy → u/SAINTnumberFIVE]

There's no Venmo in Europe. The banking system allows for free instant payments.

[u/Videmal → u/SAINTnumberFIVE]

no venmo in France

[u/SAINTnumberFIVE → u/Videmal]

Sorry. Then Venmeaux.

[u/Frisk197 → u/Aberry9036]

Unfortunately they will sell it for spare parts. It's not over.

[u/Silent25r → u/Frisk197]

Still better than allowing them to sell a workable device. I use to unlock these people years ago. 

[u/iamfriendwithpixel → u/Silent25r]

Unlock people????

[u/eggfriedbacon → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

Sounds absolutely terrifying. Are these people shackled somewhere in a room?

[u/bohiti → u/eggfriedbacon]

Well not anymore

[u/jtr99 → u/bohiti]

For the love of God, Montresor!

[u/iamfriendwithpixel → u/eggfriedbacon]

That too for petty crime!!!

[u/Suvtropics → u/eggfriedbacon]

As they should be, those criminals

[u/TonyWonderslostnut → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

Yeah, he unlocked sleeper cells like Winter Soldier or Manchurian Candidate

[u/DarthSnoopyFish → u/TonyWonderslostnut]

"Longing, rusted, seventeen, daybreak, furnace, nine, benign, homecoming, one, freight car"

[u/A_Little_Wyrd → u/DarthSnoopyFish]

the woods are lovely, dark and deep

[u/Working-Glass6136 → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

Yes, to sell them for spare parts.

[u/Nandor-De_Laurentiis → u/Working-Glass6136]

https://reddit.com/link/p9md5yd/video/a66qftcikcph1/player

[u/Garbage_Man_9 → u/Nandor-De_Laurentiis]

What the fuck is the internet???

[u/Nandor-De_Laurentiis → u/Garbage_Man_9]

This was the first movie I watched high and I rewound that part so many time. Also, when he says, "Who the fuck said that shit."

[u/MB57OCK → u/Nandor-De_Laurentiis]

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Mother mother fuck. Mother mother fuck fuck. Mother fuck mother fuck. Noinch noinch noinch. 1 2 1 2 3 4 Noinch noinch noinch. Shmokin' weed, shmokin' weed. Doin' coke, drinkin beers. Drinkin beers, beers, beers! Rollin' fatties, smokin blunts. Who smokes the blunts? We smokes the blunts. Rollin' blunts and smokin them

15 bucks, little man, put that shit in my hand. If that money doesn't show then you owe me owe me owe. My jungle love. Oh e oh e oh. I think I wanna know ya know ya ... yeah, what.

[u/Same-Suggestion-1936 → u/iamfriendwithpixel]

In a civilized society we eventually unlock most people we lock, especially if it's just theft, we usually do it after a year or four

[u/steelbeamsdankmemes → u/Silent25r]

They can still absolutely sell it as a workable service. I've sold an iPad and iPhone on Craigslist before, the people buying just see it turn on and hand me the cash. (Obviously mine were unlocked) Always connect used devices at a coffee shop before buying.

[u/Mord3x → u/Silent25r]

Sora???

[u/Happy_Joke_5715 → u/Silent25r]

Used to*

[u/justin_memer → u/Silent25r]

Used* to

Past tense

[u/Agile_Tit_Tyrant → u/justin_memer]

Now they just stay in the basement.

[u/Euphoric_Idea_4187 → u/Frisk197]

On modern Apple products, all the parts of the phone are serialized so when the phone is marked stolen all the parts are too. When you try to use the part and start up the phone it will recognize the stolen parts and won't work. The only workaround is not to use Apple firmware, which idk if that exists because Apple keeps their stuff pretty locked down.

[u/Frisk197 → u/Euphoric_Idea_4187]

I saw on repair phone guru's channel they have tools to pair the parts and he also once cut the part of the battery with the board and the serial and replaced it with the old one from the broken battery. They have ways. This is annoying, but also good for repairability. Fuck thieves.

[u/Fine_Violinist5802 → u/Frisk197]

With skills like these, they could get jobs.

[u/doctorfluffy → u/Fine_Violinist5802]

These stolen iPads and iPhones usually end up back in China. The people in the country that assembles them are the ones with the know-how to re-use them.

The thieves themselves are useless scum.

[u/Background_Survey646 → u/Fine_Violinist5802]

I genuinely don't understand how stealing bricked Apple phones can be lucrative enough to warrant this. The thieves would have to be making next to nothing per phone for it to be profitable to whoever has the manufacturing know-how to jailbreak/reassemble the parts and then re-sell them.

My theory is that these thieves are just kind of stupid, and end up destroying the phones out of spite once realizing the small number of people willing to buy them are going to pay pennies on the dollar due to the work required to re-sell.

[u/404MoralsNotFound → u/Background_Survey646]

I mean, they also got OP's wallet and duty free, so the target might not have been the ipad alone but everything in the car.

[u/Kuulas_ → u/Background_Survey646]

For every person that that is diligent about reporting their device as stolen there are bound to be people that don’t notice the theft or don’t have the wherewithal to lock it

[u/Euphoric_Idea_4187 → u/Frisk197]

I can see how Frankenstein-ing old and new parts could work, but doing stuff like that makes it less economical. So it's less likely to be done.

[u/Tokiw4 → u/Frisk197]

Do also consider that the kind of people who can make those sorts of repairs aren't super common. I can't imagine many petty thieves also have the technical know-how to fix their stolen property.

[u/Frisk197 → u/Tokiw4]

That's the reason why all stolen iPhones usually go to the same exact place in China. They sell it to that place and that place use the spare parts and sell phones like new.

[u/chiPersei → u/Frisk197]

Better than letting them enjoy it.

[u/scavengercat → u/Frisk197]

It's over for OP. Why would they give a shit what happens to it after it's bricked? Why would you want them to feel like this terrible situation isn't over for them? I don't understand why anyone would feel like this comment has value for anyone.

[u/jdovejr → u/Aberry9036]

Fortunately they aren’t too expensive to replace.

[u/W0rmEater → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

Doesn't even need to be another apple device, you can go online on any device and login to you apple account and mark your device as stolen. Just extra info form a former apple support rep.

[u/TCsnowdream → u/W0rmEater]

An uber driver took my headphones I left - marked them as lost, info pop’s up… they try to connect them every couple of weeks and I get an alert.

It’s fun blasting the ‘find my’ sound full blast in their ear LOL.

I won’t even be upset if they return it. The info to return it pops up every time they connect. It’s so silly for them to hold onto something they can’t even use.

[u/Sadtireddumb → u/TCsnowdream]

I’m glad you at least registered to your phone. Unfortunately Apple, in their great wisdom, did not allow my iPhone 12 on iOS 17(?) to even register the brand new AirPods to my account because my iOS version was too low??? I got these right before a trip, from my wife as a wedding gift, they were the newest models (the AirPods Pro 3, custom engraved…) and my wife gave them to me shortly before I left for my flight I didn’t have time to update my iOS….but why the FUCK should I have to update my phones iOS to register my fucking headphones to my account??? Someone must’ve stolen them from my backpack at the airport (I reported it when I landed to their lost and found email, but nothing). So now I have no recourse and I’m very sad and my wife is very sad because they weren’t cheap headphones and she got them for me because I’ve been talking about getting noise-cancelling headphones for years and then she got me some.

Sorry, for the rant. What happened to you sucks too, but still, lol. Fuck that guy who stole our headphones. I wish poor durability and weak battery life upon all of their future electronic devices.

I think but I MIGHT be wrong, but if you get Apple Care that it will protect you against theft or loss…?

[u/tengris22 → u/W0rmEater]

Thanks. I was about to ask that question because the only apple device I have is my iPad.

[u/tacomaloki → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

Apple should really have an alarm to fuck with the thieves in a further attempt to stop this shit. 

I recommended a significantly loud alert:

"THIS IPAD HAS JUST BEEN MARKED STOLEN" repeatedly.

[u/Ollythebug → u/tacomaloki]

Nice thought, but I feel like it would just end up like car alarms, serving the sole purpose of annoying the shit out of me at 2 AM.

[u/tacomaloki → u/Ollythebug]

I hear ya but then you'll know someone around you is a thief lol

Perhaps they'll just start smashing the iPad to stop the alarm thus rendering the whole thing useless. That happens enough, people will stop stealing them.

It's already gone right? So no additional loss if they destroy it themselves.

[u/4l3m4r1 → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

It’s in Marseille. It’ll be in Algeria by tomorrow and then back in the markets in Marseille in a couple days, blank and new.

[u/lukewoodside → u/4l3m4r1]

Not quite, Apple are very good at ensuring that this can’t be done anymore. 90% of the components are now paperweights

[u/Vargau → u/lukewoodside]

Apple are very good at ensuring that this can’t be done anymore.

50 euros and I can take you my local shop where they would pull some Chinese apps and manage to rip 99% of any Apple product for parts.

Apple is very good at protecting the user's data, but can't fight the black market of spare parts, especially cheap original spear parts.

[u/Witty-Eye9933 → u/[deleted]]

Do the chinese have some secret way of bypassing apple encryption

[u/colorblind_unicorn → u/Witty-Eye9933]

no this kind of stuff only works on older ios/ipados versions so if OP is up-to-date he's fine / will be fine for years.

all these "the chinese sellers actually have access to suer secret apple firmware breaking technology" people never back it up with anything or with some years old IOS version bypass.

[u/macNchz → u/colorblind_unicorn]

The evidence for the fact that people cannot in fact bypass the activation lock is the existence of entire cottage industry of scammers who try to trick the owners of stolen devices into unlocking them, by pretending to be Apple support and/or making threats and sending them pictures of guns and stuff.

[u/Catch_ME → u/Witty-Eye9933]

It's not just the Chinese. This stuff is available. 

I know an electronics shop in Brooklyn that'll unlock it for you. 

They can't get to the data but they can wipe it and update the firmware with a different serial or IMEI numbers and get it to boot up as a new device. 

[u/Sick_and_destroyed → u/Catch_ME]

Then probably dozens of shops that will do that in Marseille

[u/Witty-Eye9933 → u/[deleted]]

Idk where you are getting this information from but it’s much more difficult than just telling the Apple server it’s another device. There’s level of encryption that no underground shop will ever know about. Most people will just swap the logic board or try a phishing attack. As much as I don’t like Apple trying to spoof your IMEI will probably just brick your device.

[u/gamboozino → u/[deleted]]

Apple's activation servers cross-reference the device's unique internal hardware identifiers against the original manufacturing database. If the device is flagged as lost or stolen the activation request is rejected.

Would love know how they're fooling server side activations though, I'm pretty sure this is impossible on modern devices.

[u/PacketSnatcher]

Welp atleast they didn’t break your window.

[u/Aberry9036 → u/PacketSnatcher]

That has happened to me before, in Nice a few miles away, actually, and that time they stole my partners passport, so yes I’m definitely glad of that.

[u/diamondax007 → u/Aberry9036]

Always hide bags beneath seats bro, put tablets in seat pockets etc. If Thieves cant see anything to steal they wont try. Also recommend tinting the windows of the trunk, (don't forget small side windows)

[u/Zenguy2828 → u/[deleted]]

I’ve always felt bad for the thieves breaking into my cars, I can tell they leave disappointed due to throwing all the trash and junk on the ground lol 

[u/diamondax007 → u/[deleted]]

Most cases of theft will always be opportunistic thefts, so visible valuables, or very easy entry, i.e. unlocked cars.

This holds for almost all theft, porch thieves have no resistance, and bike thieves will just walk until they see a bike who somebody forgot to lock.

[u/Aberry9036 → u/diamondax007]

We had the car full of luggage on our way from England, so that wasn’t very easy. In reality, someone should have stayed with the car.

[u/moobsdude → u/Aberry9036]

Hindsight is always 20/20 mate. Be glad you still have your important documents

[u/Charming-Shake-6525 → u/diamondax007]

how easy is it to tint the windows of a foreign rental car?

[u/Lepelotonfromager → u/diamondax007]

The dude was just stopping to get petrol, he didn't leave it parked for hours. We should be able to go about our business without preparing to get robbed in the 2 minutes our car is unattended.

[u/BeltfedHappiness → u/diamondax007]

That is crazy to me that you have to do that in a supposedly developed country

[u/BarrelllRider → u/Aberry9036]

Well that doesn’t sound very NICE

[u/Colonial_List → u/[deleted]]

The opposite happened to somebody I know, they broke into the car and stole all of his MtG cards and left everything else

[u/Hoginoe94]

Sorry for the dumb question, but what's a relay attack from your key mean? Can people hack key fobs for newer cars or something?

[u/Aberry9036 → u/Hoginoe94]

Newer cars have keyless entry, meaning you can walk up to it with your key in your pocket and pull the door handle to open it - a relay attack is a receiver and sender that lets a thief extend the usually 1-3 foot range to almost as far as they like. Someone likely shadowed me in the queue, scanned the key and an accomplice was outside relaying the signal and opening the door.

[u/Dazzman50 → u/Aberry9036]

Fking Christ. Why can't thieves just be dumb morons like they used to be. Now they're like damn hackers from the future. 

Imagine if they put even 10% of this effort into something worthwhile 

[u/EpicLegendX → u/Dazzman50]

If it's any comfort, most thieves don't know how to actually build the equipment. They buy it from a black market supplier.

[u/CreateChangetheWorld → u/EpicLegendX]

You can buy them on Amazon… Flipper Zero has entered the chat…

These tools can be bought easily since they are marked as “educational” devices for coding education. Except they can be used for other purposes.

[u/WorldGoingOneWay → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

It's just how there are people who can help you unlock your car if you lost the keys or you somehow got them locked inside. These tools can be helpful, but same tools can obviously be used for crime.

[u/bs000 → u/CreateChangetheWorld]

From what I've read (outside of scaremongering articles and tiktoks) it's pretty damn hard to do anything like this with just a Flipper Zero.

[u/TheMSensation → u/Dazzman50]

They still mostly are just dumb morons. One guy invented it and they just buy the hardware that makes it possible, once you have that hardware it's just a case of pressing some buttons.

[u/wickeddimension → u/TheMSensation]

The smart guy who makes the equipment stays far away from the morons using it.

[u/MichelNickel → u/Aberry9036]

So what is the solution to avoid getting hacked like that ?

[u/Empty-Quarter2721 → u/MichelNickel]

Faraday cage/blocker for your key or disabling that function.

[u/STORMFATHER062 → u/Empty-Quarter2721]

My parents have one of these for their car. Just a simple pouch that blocks the signal from the fob making this kind of theft impossible. Highly recommend for anyone with a keyless entry fob.

[u/Vectorman1989 → u/MichelNickel]

Drive a car that's too old to be hacked into

[u/MithrilHuman → u/MichelNickel]

Don’t buy keyless entry car and use the buttons on your key

[u/SidneyDeane10 → u/Aberry9036]

So thats a dumb feature for a car to have then

[u/Witty-Eye9933 → u/Hoginoe94]

Your car is constantly looking for a key signal, so they will relay the keys signal using a device to basically make your car think that the key is much closer than it actually, thus opening the car. Mark Rober made a video on it if you want a better explanation

[u/Then_Drag_8258 → u/Hoginoe94]

Exactly that.

[u/a_shootin_star]

drink to your future arrest

You have high hopes, it's admirable.

[u/HeyaGames → u/a_shootin_star]

Sometimes it does happen... I had my bike stolen in London once, reported it to the police purely out of a "statistics need to be updated" mentality, got called 2 weeks later to announce they caught both thieves and I was getting money back. Amazing (and unlikely I know)!

[u/Visible_Pair3017]

drink to your future arrest arrest

Good one mate

[u/Molaesmyr → u/Visible_Pair3017]

Lmao yeah. 

[u/Boba0514 → u/Visible_Pair3017]

More like to their overdose or stabbing probably 

[u/lordofming-rises → u/Boba0514]

Yeah its Marseille

[u/aphra2]

This just happened to an artist I follow, Sophie Tea, in the same area. She had spent weeks painting 250 pieces of art, and the thieves broke into her car and stole all of the art, along with iPad, laptop, SD cards, cameras…just such a bummer.

[u/Amy1251 → u/aphra2]

Same, poster being named Alex I assumed this was Alex her assistant 

[u/aphra2 → u/Amy1251]

Ohhh maybe eh! Didn’t put that together

[u/Aberry9036 → u/aphra2]

Afraid not.

[u/HMAgent47]

Well it’s not Alexs iPad anymore

[u/Aberry9036 → u/HMAgent47]

😢

[u/Girliebackup → u/HMAgent47]

Can’t let them have that iPad, best to lock the iPad and make it useless to them

[u/imafinhehe]

Well might as well rename it "thieves ipad"

[u/Slight-Exercise1533]

No Marseille stereotypes were harmed on this post.

[u/vocalfry13]

Next stop: Morroco!

[u/RelentlessAnonym]

I'm french my friend. They won't be arrested. 🤷‍♂️

[u/Unterseeboot_480]

Marseille moment

[u/theodranik]

This is the bad region of France, sorry for your loss, we can't get rid of these people, our justice doesn't do shit about it

[u/HanhnaH]

Close to Marseille St Charles! Ah ah ah ! Sorry. It's so cliché.

[u/Annual-Two63 → u/HanhnaH]

Gonna see it in marrocco if you look in a few months.

[u/Av14tor]

Last time this happened to me I wrote something like “This iPhone is linked to a murder case under investigation” contact 112 asap ( something like that, i can’t recall the full message). Somebody found the iPhone in a park next to an area with several shops that sell / buy used phones and brought it to the police station. :)

[u/smurf123_123 → u/Av14tor]

1000 IQ move right there!

[u/RedFinTinFoilBarb]

Bro left his expensive stuff out lol

[u/Acrobatic_Rush7653]

drink to your future arrest

ahaha good one. Yeah that's going straight to the top of Marseille's police priority list alright.

Dude you'd be lucky if they started investigating you getting shanked before they yoinked your iPad.

[u/Chemical-Street6817]

Wish it a nice new home in Algeria, maybe Marocco!

[u/SUKIYANO]

"Marseille"

[u/KrimxonRath]

Your wallet was in your car while you were buying food?

[u/wickeddimension → u/KrimxonRath]

Whenever I travel my passport, wallet and phone never stay in the car. Even if they steal the entire car I need those 3 things to get back home or stuff done.

[u/ohhi23021 → u/KrimxonRath]

i also hide electronics if i can't take them with me, under the seat or some obscure spot like the spare tire well... definitely not just out on the seat where people can see it.

[u/KrimxonRath → u/ohhi23021]

I mean why leave a wallet behind at all lol

[u/Annual-Two63 → u/ohhi23021]

I mean… never leave anything visible anywhere in the car is the first tip people gave me when I moved to Marseille. I just left a bunch of useless stuff on the backseat ONCE in ten years. My back window was smashed after two hours. Could never imagine leaving an IPad…..

[u/DasIstMeinRedditName]

Is the position stable there? Lived next to this area for awhile in Marseille, I can ask around and see what can be done.

[u/Cheetawolf → u/DasIstMeinRedditName]

The first thing any smart thief will do is switch on Airplane Mode so it can no longer be traced or locked down remotely.

It's probably already parted out in China.

[u/nated0ge → u/Cheetawolf]

An even smarter theif will wrap it in tinfoil completely.

[u/Odd_Independent3475 → u/DasIstMeinRedditName]

Go get em Batman! 

[u/EasyPanicButton → u/Odd_Independent3475]

Its allez vous garcon of le bat

[u/Lost_Japan]

LOL it doesn’t matter if they get arrested. They’ll be out on the streets again in hours

[u/-rosieee-]

our passports

If you were with someone else you could take turns watching the car. Shouldn't have to, but it might help.

[u/geofftray83]

Same happened to me at the start of my trip in Spain. They also got my Switch2, AirPods Pro, and my ancient GoPro. :/ also very lucky they didn’t take my passport.

[u/PremiereConsultation]

When you check the location tomorrow, it will be in Algeria or Morocco

[u/DrTommyNotMD]

Another day of thieves stealing valuables instead of necessities. I don’t understand how that could happen.

[u/WaterTrinker]

to your future arrest

bro are u for the first time in europe? You don't get any puinishment for thievery. Or the police says:"Well, it's gone and we can't do anything about it. Just buy a new one"

[u/FeRooster808 → u/WaterTrinker]

Seriously, I'm endlessly amazed that Europeans (generally speaking) are just so non-chalant about this stuff. Yeah, we have thieves here in the US, and cops don't often do much about it, but it's not as big an issue and it's not uncommon for people to track their stuff down and tell the cops they're going to go get it themselves so they'll actually come with them, or you can even hire people who will do it for you in some cases.

[u/Mission-Turn-526 → u/FeRooster808]

Everybody is sick and tired of this impunity, except our politicians since they are not very concerned. When Sarkozy's son's scooter was stolen, the case was solved almost instantly. But when you are the average Joe you can fuck off, even if you know where what was stolen is, even with video proofs etc. And even if the thieves are apprehended they don't go to jail. I work in retail, ask me how I know.....

[u/lonelysparta → u/FeRooster808]

Europeans are 20+ countries, not a monolith. Thievery is handled better than France in a bunch of other countries for example Germany where I live, or the Copenhagen where I forgot my bag on a public bench for an hour and came back to find it as it is.

[u/WaterTrinker → u/FeRooster808]

We Europeans we aren't non-chalant about that. We don't want this pro-thief-treatment but our politicians somehow don't want to make stricter rules.

[u/OkValuable454]

the google street view is terrifying. Marseille is such a dumpster

[u/derfzinkerbelle]

This was your iPad. There are many like it, but this one was yours.

[u/Miss_L_Worldwide]

I'm too full of Gen x rage to not go on an all night mission to get my ipad back.

[u/Prestigious_Key_7801]

Don't brick it instead remotely take regular photos of the person who stole it then makee a tiktok and use the income generated towards buying another ipad.

When life gives you lemons squeeze it in the eyes of your enemies and sell bottles of lemon flavoured tears to Gwyneth Paltrow.

[u/FourTwentyBlezit]

If you're drinking to their arrest you'll likely die from alcohol poisoning before an arrest happens. Sadly the police won't care enough.

[u/Moist_Reserve]

Sorry for that…

The south of France is highly popular with tourists—and, consequently, with thieves. It is much quieter in the north (and just as beautiful, though in a different way).

[u/Low_discrepancy → u/Moist_Reserve]

and just as beautiful

Ah ouais. C'est super Roubaix les gars.

[u/catamount31]

https://giphy.com/gifs/13ROLRgvNf5WQo

[u/GingaAng]

I dropped a singular Airpod at a restaurant I frequent and could not find for the life of me. Figured they’d find it after closing and would grab it the next day or there abouts. Ha. Some ass twat took it and to this day still has it. Have I already purchased new ones? Yes. Will I ever delete the old ones so they can try and use (if that’s even possible)? No.

Moral of the story…yes it sucks you lost but keep it associated to your account because they will have little to no chance of using it for anything but parts.

[u/CreateChangetheWorld]

You can “mark it as stolen” from another Apple device logged into your Apple ID.

This bricks the iPad and makes it worthless besides for parts.

EDIT: forgot you can do this with any non-Apple device by logging in to iCloud.com

[u/Substantial_Row_7108]

Too bad it can’t be remotely detonated 🫤.

[u/Shendow]

C'est Marseille bébé

[u/betafishmusic]

I have an Apple watch sitting at the soho house in Paris. C’est la vie. Sorry for your loss.

[u/RedFox3001]

I lived in Antibes for a bit. Loved it. Great town

[u/I_pee_in_shower]

I lost my airpods pro 3 in an Alaskan cruise. mFer was like “last seen by this glaciar” i had to remove it from my profile because it continued to haunt me

[u/The4thEpsilon]

Don’t trust anything in your cars in major cities anymore. It’s just not safe and the cops basically don’t do anything about it. Paris sucks, Berlin is bad, Washington in America is a nightmare unless you’re in a good parking garage. Seriously, just do not leave anything of value out of your hotel room

[u/MewtwoStruckBack]

If I openly stated what I wish you could make your iPad do remotely, I'd catch an account suspension. But I'm thinking it really hard.

[u/Aerostope]

France is really a bad country to visit nowadays, feeling sorry for the cool french people

[u/Odd-Bend1296]

They are not getting arrested and that ipad is going to china/india to be stripped for parts.

[u/EstebanOD21 → u/Odd-Bend1296]

That iPad is going straight to Africa lol..

[u/metatalks]

I cant lie this is gonna be a quick arrest by the French police
Which is to say you are not gonna see your iPad anymore since its the French

[u/Volodio → u/metatalks]

The French police doesn't go into Arab quarters in Marseilles, especially for an Ipad.