It's not Apple's job to recover stolen property. At best, they can refuse service under certain circumstances, but they won't play cops & robbers. Apple really has nothing to do with this. She's asking Apple to perform a legal function, which it simply cannot do.
Why is the individual relying on Apple to recover her phone when it's a matter for the police?
There is no policy to reconsider here. Apple is not the police.
The legal precedent on receiving stolen goods? Yeah... they should really come up with some laws to cover that one....
There are laws and they are quite clear. If you have the receipt you own it.
Example: you buy used stuff from someone who stole it from the original buyer. The original buyer shows proof of purchase so the police seizes the object and returns it to him. Only thing they can't do is sue you (unless they have proof that you knew you were buying a stolen good). Basically it is up to you to be sure about what you are buying and to ask for a proof of purchase.
This is how it stands. From there of course you can defend yourself in court etc.
Nevertheless, the thief should have been identified in the process. They should have been able to say ?We can't legally NOT do the replacement, officer, but we'll be happy to tell you when the guy is coming in to pick it up.?
Right. I can't see where THAT course of action could get Apple sued.
And with comments like that people wonder why Apple has trouble gaining a more international footing.
The user that posted was a non US person, for him to make such a comment it is fair to get a non US response.
I didn't understand your original post and don't understand this one. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder. Or at a minimum, you're not directly stating what's on your mind.
...What I really think this story is a model of is the crap journalism we have so much of in the modern world. There's no legwork. The writer talked to the girl. Maybe to the cop. Did he talk to Apple? AT&T? In the old days, this would be thrown back by a city editor until the reporter dug out enough details to be a story. But this story is simply furthering the agenda of the woman, and of the various Apple bashers that the tech press is becoming thick with. It's a "good" story, but it's not necessarily "true." That is, you don't need many details. You just ignite a slugfest between people who love Apple and defend it and those who hate Apple, for whom this story confirms what they think.
In small, that's what's happening to our larger journalism, too. It's so much easier to assess truth or falsity if it confirms your prejudices.
Well said. No offense to AI, because it happens on all the forums, but there's seldom evidence anyone tries to call a source for information on these stories. And that's fundamental.
Because 50% of Apples customers are not in the US. That is a good enough reason, plus the original poster doesn't live in the US, so US based surveys are useless as they don't reflect the service levels of Apple in their country, or mine for that matter. There are two points, do you want some more as well?
As they say in court, "Asked and answered." That is, you asked specifically and he answered specifically.
First point, our service is done in the US and Canada. We have immediate access to all service call centres in for example, Texas and Ontario. Our Genius Bars are unsurpassed by any standards.
Secondly, what evidence do you have that our service is any different than that of our American cousins?
Thirdly, What country do you mole in that you have un-refutable evidence of service levels to the contrary?
Fourthly, yes and no. I would like to hear anything that makes any sense of your meanderings. Guess which one it is.
I'm the Alisa of this story. I would like to make it clear that I DO HAVE A POLICE REPORT. -- Shortly after I sent Consumerist my email, i realized that I was wrong in assuming that it would be obvious that i filed a police report once the police told me they couldn't do anything since i didn't have one. For what ever reason consumerist didn't edit that post to state this information. So even with a police report Apple still refuses to do anything. I am now working with a lawyer to see what my options are legally.
Thanks
That's hilarious, given that you could buy about 4 new iPhones for the price of 1 hr with the lawyer.
With two people holding out that they own it, it would take a court to decide who owns it, not Apple/ATT.
But since it was not even important enough to file a report, why is this even a story?
Agree with you completely.
It's a story that was assumed to get high hits because:
1) It's Apple
2) Apple has an excellent reputation when it comes to customer service, therefore stories to the contrary are believed to cause a greater sensation.
It seems the story got the hits, but it's a false alarm. I find very often these days that what would appear to be negative news about Apple, really isn't, or has some element(s) in it that really require the reader to stretch the limits of reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by isaidso
That's hilarious, given that you could buy about 4 new iPhones for the price of 1 hr with the lawyer.
Dollars-to-donuts says it's not her. LOL, someone registered an account to help the losing side a little. Lame. Wouldn't be a first on AI, either.
It's not Apple's job to recover stolen property. At best, they can refuse service under certain circumstances, but they won't play cops & robbers. Apple really has nothing to do with this. She's asking Apple to perform a legal function, which it simply cannot do.
Why is the individual relying on Apple to recover her phone when it's a matter for the police?
There is no policy to reconsider here. Apple is not the police.
Only rational, logical post on this board. And yet I just can't wait to read the next 100 blathering blabs about this thing that nobody should even give a flying fk about.
It's a story that was assumed to get high hits because:
1) It's Apple
2) Apple has an excellent reputation when it comes to customer service, therefore stories to the contrary are believed to cause a greater sensation.
It seems the story got the hits, but it's a false alarm. I find very often these days that what would appear to be negative news about Apple, really isn't, or has some element(s) in it that really require the reader to stretch the limits of reason.
Dollars-to-donuts says it's not her. LOL, someone registered an account to help the losing side a little. Lame. Wouldn't be a first on AI, either.
Yeah, I sort of figured as well. But wouldn't surprise me for someone to take that action. Hell, they went through the trouble of making it a "news" story; and look what's resulted.
I'm the Alisa of this story. I would like to make it clear that I DO HAVE A POLICE REPORT. -- Shortly after I sent Consumerist my email, i realized that I was wrong in assuming that it would be obvious that i filed a police report once the police told me they couldn't do anything since i didn't have one. For what ever reason consumerist didn't edit that post to state this information. So even with a police report Apple still refuses to do anything. I am now working with a lawyer to see what my options are legally.
Thanks
I was similarly frustrated when it was determined that someone in the San Francisco area with suspicious activity on their AT&T account was using my stolen iPhone. I just wanted them to deactivate his/her service without expectation of getting the iPhone back. Most things one might lose are not traceable and not retrievable. AT&T and Apple don't offer tracing of stolen or loss items and they adhere to laws regarding privacy. An AT&T retail employee told me that he couldn't contact the person he found on the store computer using his iPhone. I turned it into an opportunity to get a 3GS. I avoided some of that nasty $200 cancellation fee by adding a line, swapping my new number with the old and paying an extra $10 for a while.
Not sure why you are complaining to Apple? Its really simple. If you lose something or get it stolen, you contact the police and get a crime reference number for your police report. You use this number to claim on your insurance and they deliver you another phone.
According to the original story, there are no "stolen goods" since a report was not filed.
File an actual report and let the police contact Apple.
It's a fascinating subject indeed. I confess I was always under the impression if the police came across stolen goods they tried to return it to the rightful owners reported or not. What if you didn't even know you'd been robbed? "Excuse me sir we recovered the contents of your safe but as you didn't report it we are not returning the diamonds!"
Possession is nine tenths of the law therefore the thief is in possession therefore he/she owns it...
Now if it is in fact stolen and she can prove its stolen then a Detective or Police Officer has to go down to the Apple Store and slame his badge down and take ownership...
Just like pawn shops if they buy stolen property and cop comes in they will take the item and the pawn shop will be out the item and the money they paid..
But a Police officer calling in isn't going to work as you gotta look at it in Apple point of view the lady could have had her brother calling in pretending to be a police officer..... So Officer will actually need to go in.......
Customer calls Apple to ask for phone back? Apple says not without "police report" as evidence it was stolen.
Why didn't the original owner at this point just file a police report and give it to apple? Then apple would be legally obligated to oblige right? I think you have like 6 months to file a police report with a theft.. Especially if she just claimed she JUST found out it was stolen..
Kinda like if someone broke into you house while you were in Europe for a few months and stole all your stuff.. you file the police report 6 months later when you get back and that would be totally legal...
Comments
Why is the individual relying on Apple to recover her phone when it's a matter for the police?
There is no policy to reconsider here. Apple is not the police.
The legal precedent on receiving stolen goods? Yeah... they should really come up with some laws to cover that one....
There are laws and they are quite clear. If you have the receipt you own it.
Example: you buy used stuff from someone who stole it from the original buyer. The original buyer shows proof of purchase so the police seizes the object and returns it to him. Only thing they can't do is sue you (unless they have proof that you knew you were buying a stolen good). Basically it is up to you to be sure about what you are buying and to ask for a proof of purchase.
This is how it stands. From there of course you can defend yourself in court etc.
Nevertheless, the thief should have been identified in the process. They should have been able to say ?We can't legally NOT do the replacement, officer, but we'll be happy to tell you when the guy is coming in to pick it up.?
Right.
And with comments like that people wonder why Apple has trouble gaining a more international footing.
The user that posted was a non US person, for him to make such a comment it is fair to get a non US response.
I didn't understand your original post and don't understand this one. You seem to have a chip on your shoulder. Or at a minimum, you're not directly stating what's on your mind.
...What I really think this story is a model of is the crap journalism we have so much of in the modern world. There's no legwork. The writer talked to the girl. Maybe to the cop. Did he talk to Apple? AT&T? In the old days, this would be thrown back by a city editor until the reporter dug out enough details to be a story. But this story is simply furthering the agenda of the woman, and of the various Apple bashers that the tech press is becoming thick with. It's a "good" story, but it's not necessarily "true." That is, you don't need many details. You just ignite a slugfest between people who love Apple and defend it and those who hate Apple, for whom this story confirms what they think.
In small, that's what's happening to our larger journalism, too. It's so much easier to assess truth or falsity if it confirms your prejudices.
Well said. No offense to AI, because it happens on all the forums, but there's seldom evidence anyone tries to call a source for information on these stories. And that's fundamental.
--retired journalist
Because 50% of Apples customers are not in the US. That is a good enough reason, plus the original poster doesn't live in the US, so US based surveys are useless as they don't reflect the service levels of Apple in their country, or mine for that matter. There are two points, do you want some more as well?
As they say in court, "Asked and answered." That is, you asked specifically and he answered specifically.
First point, our service is done in the US and Canada. We have immediate access to all service call centres in for example, Texas and Ontario. Our Genius Bars are unsurpassed by any standards.
Secondly, what evidence do you have that our service is any different than that of our American cousins?
Thirdly, What country do you mole in that you have un-refutable evidence of service levels to the contrary?
Fourthly, yes and no. I would like to hear anything that makes any sense of your meanderings. Guess which one it is.
The legal precedent on receiving stolen goods? Yeah... they should really come up with some laws to cover that one....
According to the original story, there are no "stolen goods" since a report was not filed.
File an actual report and let the police contact Apple.
I suspect Apple will reconsider their policy on this.
I doubt very much they will change anything.
There are laws and they are quite clear. If you have the receipt you own it.
Okay.
With two people holding out that they own it, it would take a court to decide who owns it, not Apple/ATT.
But since it was not even important enough to file a report, why is this even a story?
I'm the Alisa of this story. I would like to make it clear that I DO HAVE A POLICE REPORT. -- Shortly after I sent Consumerist my email, i realized that I was wrong in assuming that it would be obvious that i filed a police report once the police told me they couldn't do anything since i didn't have one. For what ever reason consumerist didn't edit that post to state this information. So even with a police report Apple still refuses to do anything. I am now working with a lawyer to see what my options are legally.
Thanks
That's hilarious, given that you could buy about 4 new iPhones for the price of 1 hr with the lawyer.
Okay.
With two people holding out that they own it, it would take a court to decide who owns it, not Apple/ATT.
But since it was not even important enough to file a report, why is this even a story?
Agree with you completely.
It's a story that was assumed to get high hits because:
1) It's Apple
2) Apple has an excellent reputation when it comes to customer service, therefore stories to the contrary are believed to cause a greater sensation.
It seems the story got the hits, but it's a false alarm. I find very often these days that what would appear to be negative news about Apple, really isn't, or has some element(s) in it that really require the reader to stretch the limits of reason.
That's hilarious, given that you could buy about 4 new iPhones for the price of 1 hr with the lawyer.
Dollars-to-donuts says it's not her. LOL, someone registered an account to help the losing side a little. Lame. Wouldn't be a first on AI, either.
It is not our place to question their decisions. They always know a lot more than we do.
It's not Apple's job to recover stolen property. At best, they can refuse service under certain circumstances, but they won't play cops & robbers. Apple really has nothing to do with this. She's asking Apple to perform a legal function, which it simply cannot do.
Why is the individual relying on Apple to recover her phone when it's a matter for the police?
There is no policy to reconsider here. Apple is not the police.
Only rational, logical post on this board. And yet I just can't wait to read the next 100 blathering blabs about this thing that nobody should even give a flying fk about.
Agree with you completely.
It's a story that was assumed to get high hits because:
1) It's Apple
2) Apple has an excellent reputation when it comes to customer service, therefore stories to the contrary are believed to cause a greater sensation.
It seems the story got the hits, but it's a false alarm. I find very often these days that what would appear to be negative news about Apple, really isn't, or has some element(s) in it that really require the reader to stretch the limits of reason.
Dollars-to-donuts says it's not her. LOL, someone registered an account to help the losing side a little. Lame. Wouldn't be a first on AI, either.
Yeah, I sort of figured as well. But wouldn't surprise me for someone to take that action. Hell, they went through the trouble of making it a "news" story; and look what's resulted.
Sheesh!
I'm the Alisa of this story. I would like to make it clear that I DO HAVE A POLICE REPORT. -- Shortly after I sent Consumerist my email, i realized that I was wrong in assuming that it would be obvious that i filed a police report once the police told me they couldn't do anything since i didn't have one. For what ever reason consumerist didn't edit that post to state this information. So even with a police report Apple still refuses to do anything. I am now working with a lawyer to see what my options are legally.
Thanks
I was similarly frustrated when it was determined that someone in the San Francisco area with suspicious activity on their AT&T account was using my stolen iPhone. I just wanted them to deactivate his/her service without expectation of getting the iPhone back. Most things one might lose are not traceable and not retrievable. AT&T and Apple don't offer tracing of stolen or loss items and they adhere to laws regarding privacy. An AT&T retail employee told me that he couldn't contact the person he found on the store computer using his iPhone. I turned it into an opportunity to get a 3GS. I avoided some of that nasty $200 cancellation fee by adding a line, swapping my new number with the old and paying an extra $10 for a while.
Ya, it was probably a gift to her old boyfriend, when they broke up it is now stolen
She won't file a stolen article report because she knows filing a false report might lead to jail time.
Now stop being a retard and learn your lesson.
According to the original story, there are no "stolen goods" since a report was not filed.
File an actual report and let the police contact Apple.
It's a fascinating subject indeed. I confess I was always under the impression if the police came across stolen goods they tried to return it to the rightful owners reported or not. What if you didn't even know you'd been robbed? "Excuse me sir we recovered the contents of your safe but as you didn't report it we are not returning the diamonds!"
Now if it is in fact stolen and she can prove its stolen then a Detective or Police Officer has to go down to the Apple Store and slame his badge down and take ownership...
Just like pawn shops if they buy stolen property and cop comes in they will take the item and the pawn shop will be out the item and the money they paid..
But a Police officer calling in isn't going to work as you gotta look at it in Apple point of view the lady could have had her brother calling in pretending to be a police officer..... So Officer will actually need to go in.......
Why didn't the original owner at this point just file a police report and give it to apple? Then apple would be legally obligated to oblige right? I think you have like 6 months to file a police report with a theft.. Especially if she just claimed she JUST found out it was stolen..
Kinda like if someone broke into you house while you were in Europe for a few months and stole all your stuff.. you file the police report 6 months later when you get back and that would be totally legal...