Tracing a stolen phone

karendb

My daughter recently had her HTC Desire phone stolen. The free month's insurance was just out of date & she hadn't got round to insuring it with somebody else. It was bought from mobiles.co.uk on an Orange contract, so Orange weren't really interested as she hadn't bought it from them.

Luckily, there were no calls made on it but she has had to fork out for a new phone.

Orange blocked the phone and sent her a new Sim.

What I wanted to know is - is it possible to trace the stolen phone? If so, how? Could mobiles.co.uk or Orange trace it? What happens to these phones after they are stolen?

Thanks - Karen

OneADay

They go to places like China and you will not see them again, so no there is no way to trace them (other than some international police effort).
Most likely someone here in UK will first try to flog it to one of the mobile buying sites who will refuse blocked phones (hope so at least) and then the person will try to flog it on ebay.

Browntoa

the mobile phone buying sites do check to see if they are stolen

custardy

karendb wrote: »

My daughter recently had her HTC Desire phone stolen. The free month's insurance was just out of date & she hadn't got round to insuring it with somebody else. It was bought from mobiles.co.uk on an Orange contract, so Orange weren't really interested as she hadn't bought it from them.

Luckily, there were no calls made on it but she has had to fork out for a new phone.

Orange blocked the phone and sent her a new Sim.

What I wanted to know is - is it possible to trace the stolen phone? If so, how? Could mobiles.co.uk or Orange trace it? What happens to these phones after they are stolen?

Thanks - Karen

you say the free months insurance was out of date
do you mean she canceled it?

Jon_01

Unlike on CSI (or other TV shows), the networks can't really tell you which room of a house a phones in...

As said above, they go overseas if it's an organised gang, if it's an opportunist, then it'll be used until the sims blocked and the phone with either get dumped or sold in a pub for a few quid to some mug (who'll then call the network to demand it's unblocked !).

Biglad_3

It will be sold on ebay probably, in the product description it will say 'overseas bidders only' the thief will know its blocked in the UK the phone wont be imei blocked overseas.

karendb

custardy wrote: »

you say the free months insurance was out of date
do you mean she canceled it?

No - the free month's insurance had just finished. Had the phone been pinched a few day's before, it would have been covered.

Of course, DD should have covered it with another insurer but it was Fresher's week at uni and these admin things were the last thing on her mind no doubt

custardy

karendb wrote: »

No - the free month's insurance had just finished. Had the phone been pinched a few day's before, it would have been covered.

Of course, DD should have covered it with another insurer but it was Fresher's week at uni and these admin things were the last thing on her mind no doubt

but ive never known free insurance to just end
usually it defaults to a DD paid monthly amount unless you cancel
has she checked she doesnt have a DD in place?

skylight

Have you checked with the insurance??

Usually you get the first months free and then it carries on and you pay for it with your bill unless you actually cancel it. They offer it free as lots of people dont bother to cancel once the free bit is up.

Its not usual to find 30 days insurance only on contracts.

karendb

custardy wrote: »

but ive never known free insurance to just end
usually it defaults to a DD paid monthly amount unless you cancel
has she checked she doesnt have a DD in place?

Aw - thanks for your concern but yes she did actually cancel the insurance - 1. because it was really expensive (£7.99 per mth) and 2. she had intended to insure the phone and other stuff with Endsleigh but just hadn't got round to it.

Karen

boo_star

Does your/their home contents insurance cover it?