Comments on: Deter Theft with GPS http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/ talking up a better world, over tea Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:04:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Rich http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5591 Rich Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:22:02 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5591 Someone using Google Latitude has <a href="http://pennyontherail.blogspot.com/2009/02/watching-my-stolen-mobile-on-google.html" rel="nofollow">tried to track their lost phone, with limited success</a>. Someone using Google Latitude has tried to track their lost phone, with limited success.

]]> By: Chris Samuel http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5590 Chris Samuel Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:54:03 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5590 Here's some code for the Freerunner Neo (the OpenMoko phone) to do something similar to what you want using the FSO framework (and written in Python).. http://www.handheldshell.com/software/fso/sms-sentry.php Here’s some code for the Freerunner Neo (the OpenMoko phone) to do something similar to what you want using the FSO framework (and written in Python)..

http://www.handheldshell.com/software/fso/sms-sentry.php

]]> By: Lesley http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5588 Lesley Tue, 03 Feb 2009 22:51:31 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5588 I have not tried this, but I'd be interested to know if it really works as it was sent to me by a friend today: How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone? To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 # A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe.. When your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people stealing mobile phones. I have not tried this, but I’d be interested to know if it really works as it was sent to me by a friend today:

How to disable a
STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone’s serial number,
key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #

A 15 digit code will appear on the screen.

This number is unique to your handset.

Write it down and keep it somewhere safe..

When your phone get stolen, you can phone
your service provider and give them this code.

They will then be able to block your handset
so even if the thief changes the SIM card,
your phone will be totally useless.

You probably won’t get your phone back,
but at least you know that whoever stole it
can’t use/sell it either.

If everybody does this, there would be
no point in people stealing mobile phones.

]]> By: English Channel Ferries http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5589 English Channel Ferries Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:08:23 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5589 I only wish that I had that when visiting Paris. My stolen laptop (during the English channel crossing) could have been located very easily ! I only wish that I had that when visiting Paris. My stolen laptop (during the English channel crossing) could have been located very easily !

]]> By: Lesley http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5587 Lesley Mon, 12 Jan 2009 08:25:12 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5587 BBC News this morning reported that Crime Detection Officers in Leeds are now using laptops fitted with GPS to track stolen laptops from house to house, showing chains of addresses where stolen goods are later to be found... so not only finding the one stolen item, but showing routes taken by them. Not sure if it stands up in court if 'entrapment' is pleaded, but if, as you suggest, ALL laptops were fitted with GPS..... ?? BBC News this morning reported that Crime Detection Officers in Leeds are now using laptops fitted with GPS to track stolen laptops from house to house, showing chains of addresses where stolen goods are later to be found… so not only finding the one stolen item, but showing routes taken by them.

Not sure if it stands up in court if ‘entrapment’ is pleaded, but if, as you suggest, ALL laptops were fitted with GPS….. ??

]]> By: Rich http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5586 Rich Mon, 22 Dec 2008 10:02:14 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5586 Jailbreaking certainly can't be tackled by this solution (and neither can the old lead-off-the-church-roof problem of breaking the phone up for it's parts), but small time thievery would be massively reduced. Once such systems are out there, the incentive to benefit from such ill-gotten gains would also reduce because people would start to be aware of devices that are likely to "phone home". Jailbreaking certainly can’t be tackled by this solution (and neither can the old lead-off-the-church-roof problem of breaking the phone up for it’s parts), but small time thievery would be massively reduced. Once such systems are out there, the incentive to benefit from such ill-gotten gains would also reduce because people would start to be aware of devices that are likely to “phone home”.

]]> By: Ian http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5583 Ian Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:59:25 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5583 It's a great idea! How (thinking of iPhone here) could you prevent thieves from jailbreaking and deactivating the location detecting software? But if the IMEI cannot be changed (big 'if') and there would be some way to prove the phone hadn't been tampered with to unwitting consumers, you remove the market for stolen devices and hence the incentive to thieve. Still, I'm not sure I'd go chasing my phone if if got stolen and phoned home to tell me it had wound up on the streets of Baghdad... It’s a great idea! How (thinking of iPhone here) could you prevent thieves from jailbreaking and deactivating the location detecting software? But if the IMEI cannot be changed (big ‘if’) and there would be some way to prove the phone hadn’t been tampered with to unwitting consumers, you remove the market for stolen devices and hence the incentive to thieve.

Still, I’m not sure I’d go chasing my phone if if got stolen and phoned home to tell me it had wound up on the streets of Baghdad…

]]> By: Lesley http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5585 Lesley Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:09:14 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5585 Ah yes!!! Good point.... except that the kind of person who takes and keeps someone's dog, is liable then to mistreat it if it messes everywhere.......... :-( Maybe a better analogy would be the trackers fitted into motor homes.... which transmit their location if the vehicle is ever moved without the ignition key in place... eg if it were to be hoisted onto a low loader. [Owners have to remember temporarily to suspend the tracker if they go on the train through Euro-tunnel, or on a cross channel ferry] ;-) I could do with something to transmit the positions of many things to me every day... my keys...my handbag.... my library book.... At least I can use the house phone to ring my telephone when I lose that :-)) Ah yes!!! Good point…. except that the kind of person who takes and keeps someone’s dog, is liable then to mistreat it if it messes everywhere………. :-(

Maybe a better analogy would be the trackers fitted into motor homes…. which transmit their location if the vehicle is ever moved without the ignition key in place… eg if it were to be hoisted onto a low loader.

[Owners have to remember temporarily to suspend the tracker if they go on the train through Euro-tunnel, or on a cross channel ferry] ;-)

I could do with something to transmit the positions of many things to me every day… my keys…my handbag…. my library book…. At least I can use the house phone to ring my telephone when I lose that :-) )

]]> By: Rich http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5584 Rich Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:11:55 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5584 Sort of… it’s perhaps more like being able to teach your dog to lose all bladder control if it’s been fed by someone other than it’s owner more than three times in a row :-) Sort of… it’s perhaps more like being able to teach your dog to lose all bladder control if it’s been fed by someone other than it’s owner more than three times in a row :-)

]]> By: Lesley http://boakes.org/deter-theft-with-gps/comment-page-1/#comment-5582 Lesley Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:38:43 +0000 http://boakes.org/?p=905#comment-5582 Sounds a bit like micro-chipping a dog? Sounds a bit like micro-chipping a dog?

]]>