Stolen Nexus 4

[Listicka]

It just got stolen today about 5 hours ago. I was grocery shopping and left it at the self-check-out counter despite being so protective of my 2 months old Nexus4. When I went back to the store few minutes later, it was not there, nor in the Lost & Found. When I called my phone from the store?s customer service, the thief declined my call after 2 rings. I went home as fast as I could and changed all my passwords and called T-Mobile and they put my phone number on a Temporarily Suspension. I called the grocery store and the manager said, the store?s detective will be in tomorrow to review the footage, I had some suspicions I don?t want to talk about now.

I made a quick research and wanted to get the IMEI blocked as well. T-Mobile was not able to figure out IMEI blocking and suppose to call me back within 30 minutes, right. So I called Google and they said to call LG for the IMEI blocking. LG said to call T-Mobile. T-Mobile didn?t return their phone call back, so I have no clue what they did, if any.
I was advised the Police won?t do anything about it while there are other more serious crimes?

I wish I knew about Plan B APP before I got the phone temporarily suspended. I could have the phone locked up and possibly located while the thief had it still on. 1 hour later; my bad.

I also called my Credit card company and while I purchased the phone 2.5 months ago I will qualify for the 90 day replacement protection. I just have to wait till 8 AM for the appropriate person to file my claim.

A lesson learned here - will be installing PhoneLocator Pro or Cerberus anti theft or Android Lost when I get my new Nexus 4. I would love to get the white one that supposed to be sold in June 10th.

 

[return_0]

Hope you get your phone back soon! If you do, please come back and let us know what methods you used and which ones worked as a rule of thumb for the future. Thanks!

 

[Fairclough]

Sorry to hear about your phone, God you're lucky that your credit card provider does that protection!
I was considering rooting mine, so it would be uninstallable some of the apps but I am a bit lazy - I tried all the protection apps and I am really preferring Avast for some reason.
Edit - Might root in now.
Edit of edit - App hates me might do it later

 

[Jennifer Stough]

Some people have no common decency. That is most unfortunate. I hope that your claim gets filed as quickly as possible, and you get everything worked out. I need to install one of those programs. I have a habit of laying my phone down, or leaving it atop the car.

Sent from my HTC6435LVW using Android Central Forums

 

[skyrockett]

Seems like its your fault. Its not like someone broke in and took it. You left it at self check. Keep your belongings in sight at all times. Mobile phones these days are not only communication devices its a personal mobile computer its stores your private information. But the guy or whoever took it probably saw an opportunity to make a quick buck no much else. Its a shame we have such low life individuals in our society.

 

[Captainbob767]

When you get your next phone, put Cerebus on it. https://forums.androidcentral.com/e...etails?id=com.lsdroid.cerberus&token=BUB-G_PW

 

[pjc123]

Interesting to come across this thread today. Yesterday, after having my Nexus 4 for a couple of months I decided I better active the Avast feature that tracks lost or stolen phones. It has a special option for rooted phones that makes it so it can not be removed even with a hard reset.

 

[Listicka]

Skyrockett, yes it is my fault in the very first place.

I was very protective of my Nexus 4 all the time and failed once to take it. I can't believe I did it, but it happened. I can say that the area where I live and shop are otherwise pretty good for lost and found/crime.

I did email Google about the IMEI disabling and this is what they wrote me:
"Thank you for your response. My name is Paul, I'll be helping you today. In cases of the device being lost or stolen during the original delivery process we are able to disable it. Google is unable to disable devices that are stolen after the initial delivery process."

 

[jp25f]

Had a similar situation when my wife left her EVO in a Starbucks. Never did understand why the carrier could not turn the phone off, making it useless for the thief? The rep in the Sprint Store said that they cannot do anything if someone brings in a stolen phone to the store! Is that true ? Smells like a scam, the carriers are not helping in order to boost sales?

Sent from my HTCONE using Android Central Forums

 

[Listicka]

I think you are correct jp25f. Nobody from the carrier to the cell phone manufacturer cares about us and our stolen phones. All they care about is their financial profit. If someone else comes in with their stolen unlocked phone, the carrier makes more money. If you had your cell stolen, manufacturer gets more chances you spend more money on another new phone. It is a cruel world, we are again just the middle class hard working people that pay for the rich and the ones that don't like to work.

LG's response to my email complaint about LG phone support not disabling the IMEI is: "Unfortunately T-Mobile gave you misinformation about this, ***.
You will need to have T-Mobile do this for you or if they cannot then it can't be done.
Thank you for choosing LG and have a great day, ***."

 

[Listicka]

Fairclough, did you root your cell? I can't decide if I should root my future I will get or not. Of course I will get Nexus 4 again, I just love this cell.

 

[frenziedfemale]

I rooted using motochopper, so my boot loader is still locked. The only reason I rooted it was to install cerebus as a system app. Took 15 minutes of my time for a bit of security if the fates frown upon me.

 

[Listicka]

I just called the T-Mobile again, while I never received a call back as promised by Elsa yesterday.
Postpaid customers will get their cell phones blocked, Prepaid customers won't.
It took many repeated questions to get this answer. It is sad; but, at least I have a clear answer why some people do get their IMEI blocked and some do not.

 

[Captainbob767]

I rooted using motochopper, so my boot loader is still locked. The only reason I rooted it was to install cerebus as a system app. Took 15 minutes of my time for a bit of security if the fates frown upon me.

Why would you root it to install Cerebus, I have had it on 2 phones now and I I didn't have to root anything?

 

[Fairclough]

I ended up doing it, it took a bit of dicking around as it would load the correct driver for some reason but got their in the end. Went to bed and now I am about to put "avast settings in root mode". Its a joke, that they only do it for postpaid, considering aren't pre paids often a touch more expensive (besides going over?)

PS: Loving your display picture.
Hopefully the CC company pulls through.

 

[pjc123]

Why would you root it to install Cerebus, I have had it on 2 phones now and I I didn't have to root anything?

For the same reason as installing Avast stolen phone protection as root. To prevent the average crook from removing the app from the phone. A knowledgeable person could still wipe the phone clean once they acquired it however.

 

[frenziedfemale]

Why would you root it to install Cerebus, I have had it on 2 phones now and I I didn't have to root anything?

When you have root, you can install it as a system app. That way if some one factory resets your phone, as can be done easily if you know how, the app is still installed and I can still find my phone. If it is just installed without root, a factory reset will remove the app just like all the other apps you have downloaded.

 

[gnr_2]

I have Avast but just rooted. Will go in and make that change.

Also to the OP, Plan B doesn't work on Jellybean so don't kick yourself about that.

Sent from the Superuser account on my newly rooted Sprint Galaxy Nexus

 

[skyrockett]

I think airdroid added some tracking features in the last update. Not sure how good it but seems promising and its free.

 

[badbrad17]

I think airdroid added some tracking features in the last update. Not sure how good it but seems promising and its free.

Where is this feature?

Sent from my Nexus 4