NYPD registering devices at Apple stores on iPhone 5 launch day
The New York Police Department is on-hand at Apple's retail locations in the Big Apple on Friday to help customers register their electronics in order to potentially recover them in the event of a theft.
The NYPD's "Anti-Apple Picking Campaign" is part of the NYPD's Operation ID, a free service in which offers registers the serial number of valuable portable electronics along with the owner's name and contact information. Friday the police department made a major push, as highlighted by Gothamist, to get users registered on the launch date of the iPhone 5.
"The theft of Apple phones and other handheld devices drove the spike in robberies and larceny this year," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. "Individuals alert to their surroundings are less likely to become victims, and Operation ID will help those whose property is lost or stolen to get it back."
Members of the public can bring any of their portable electronic devices, even if it is not an iPhone, to the NYPD personnel that are stationed at all Apple retail stores on Friday. The NYPD also has officers using iPhones with iCloud and Find My iPhone which can help users relocate their iPhone in the event that it is lost or stolen.
Those upgrading to the iPhone 5 can also check out AppleInsider's breakdown of trade-in offers for previous-generation iPhones. A number of online providers offer cash in return for a used iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, or iPhone 4S, making the cost of the new iPhone 5 easier to afford.
The NYPD's "Anti-Apple Picking Campaign" is part of the NYPD's Operation ID, a free service in which offers registers the serial number of valuable portable electronics along with the owner's name and contact information. Friday the police department made a major push, as highlighted by Gothamist, to get users registered on the launch date of the iPhone 5.
"The theft of Apple phones and other handheld devices drove the spike in robberies and larceny this year," Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said. "Individuals alert to their surroundings are less likely to become victims, and Operation ID will help those whose property is lost or stolen to get it back."
Members of the public can bring any of their portable electronic devices, even if it is not an iPhone, to the NYPD personnel that are stationed at all Apple retail stores on Friday. The NYPD also has officers using iPhones with iCloud and Find My iPhone which can help users relocate their iPhone in the event that it is lost or stolen.
Those upgrading to the iPhone 5 can also check out AppleInsider's breakdown of trade-in offers for previous-generation iPhones. A number of online providers offer cash in return for a used iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, or iPhone 4S, making the cost of the new iPhone 5 easier to afford.
Comments
Samsung can't stand seeing these lines.
You can also bring your sugary beverages in to have them inspected to ensure they will be in compliance with the mayor's wishes.
I have been in and out of the city on a fairly regular basis over the last 4-5 years, and let me tell you, the NYPD are some of the nicest men and women I have ever met on a police force. I am sure there are some bad ones as in any organization, but they are truly amazing.
Commissioner Ray Kelly should be very proud of his police force.
Quote:
Originally Posted by techno
And don't you worry, there will be no privacy issues with the police having this info. That goes to all of you hippy "occupy" scumbags. Just bring in your phones and we will protect you. Don't worry.
...and the first post is trollbait.
Quote:
Originally Posted by massconn72
I have been in and out of the city on a fairly regular basis over the last 4-5 years, and let me tell you, the NYPD are some of the nicest men and women I have ever met on a police force. I am sure there are some bad ones as in any organization, but they are truly amazing.
Commissioner Ray Kelly should be very proud of his police force.
Most of them, but NYC ought not be proud of Commissioner Ray Kelly, who has no respect for the Constitution or Civil Rights.
And, given this, in particularly recent, disregard for the law on the part of the NYPD, and the many illegal operations they have engaged in in recent years, it's quite probable that this operation does have an ulterior motive. And before anyone invokes 9/11 as a defense, Stop and Frisk, otherwise known as being detained for Walking While Black, which is going to cost the tax payers of NYC millions in legal settlements and lawsuits, has nothing to do with anything related to 9/11. Nor do most of the other Civil Rights violations by the NYPD in recent years.
Has anybody ever seen the police outside of Samsung phone launches, registering serial numbers?
No, why not you ask?
Apparently, not even thieves want Android phones. 40% of all stolen items in NYC is an Apple product.
Samsung could make a new commercial about that. If you want a phone that has very little chance of getting stolen, and a phone that is undesirable (even to thieves and criminals) and that nobody bothers to line up for, buy an Android phone!
Quote:
Originally Posted by techno
And don't you worry, there will be no privacy issues with the police having this info. That goes to all of you hippy "occupy" scumbags. Just bring in your phones and we will protect you. Don't worry.
they have done this with cars for decades
if your phone gets stolen and the cops have no record of it don't expect a major investigation
Quote:
Originally Posted by techno
And don't you worry, there will be no privacy issues with the police having this info. That goes to all of you hippy "occupy" scumbags. Just bring in your phones and we will protect you. Don't worry.
Right, because entering your password into a Police Officer's iOS device in order to track down your stolen iOS device - is so much worse than never recovering your phone from the thief and hoping that you can at least remotely wipe it.
Seriously - how is entering your password into someone else's device - which is then cleared after that device logs out of the service - a risk to your privacy?
I'd better not unlock my front door for the police to come in to my house after I have been burglarized as well - they might see my family photos and ask where I keep my valuables.
Quote:
Originally Posted by al_bundy
they have done this with cars for decades
if your phone gets stolen and the cops have no record of it don't expect a major investigation
There won't be any more of an "investigation" if they do have a "record" of it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by techno
And don't you worry, there will be no privacy issues with the police having this info. That goes to all of you hippy "occupy" scumbags. Just bring in your phones and we will protect you. Don't worry.
Since I'm not one of those occupy scumbags, I guess that I have nothing to worry about. And neither do other normal people.
Yes we get it, Samsung and every other company in the world would love to have product releases generate these kind of lines and attention.
Not that there is anything to worry about if your a thief. Finding you on the new maps program will probably be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack
Originally Posted by daratbastid
Not that there is anything to worry about if your a thief. Finding you on the new maps program will probably be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack
lol, GPS. Enjoy hiding from that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by anonymouse
There won't be any more of an "investigation" if they do have a "record" of it.
no investigation but the serial number will be in the record. if they find it on a perp who gets arrested for something else you will get it back. or if it pops up when they investigate an organized iphone theft ring.
just like cars and etching VIN numbers
Quote:
Originally Posted by dasanman69
Yes we get it, Samsung and every other company in the world would love to have product releases generate these kind of lines and attention.
If it's any consolation, I feel a *bit* better about the maps situation today. But just a bit.
They will undoubtedly take the same information for Samsung phone owners, too. But rarely do they get a chance to get this many phones registered at once, so it's worthwhile to have someone at the store.
Their objective is only partially to help the person who has their phone stolen. They also:
1. By publicly recording this information and having it on the evening news, they hope to scare some criminals off. Ideally, the criminals will think "lots of Apple phones have been registered and that makes it easier for them to catch me, so maybe I shouldn't be stealing phones".
2. The goal is really to catch criminals. Returning your stolen phone to you is only a side benefit.