Burnley student tracks stolen phone using GPS (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Burnley student tracks stolen phone using GPS
11:00am Wednesday 23rd March 2011 in News
By Neil Docking, Reporter
SAFE HANDS James with the returned gadget
A BURNLEY student used GPS satellite technology to track his stolen iPhone during a city centre chase.
James Bird, 20, ran after a suspected thief when the £500 phone was swiped from a university computer room.
The 20-year-old followed the man onto a bus and blocked his escape, demanding the iPhone 4 back.
James, a second-year student, said he was working on a computer at Manchester University when he noticed his phone had disappeared from his desk.
He used an Apple application called Find My iPhone to track his mobile using the latest GPS (Global Positioning System) technology.
The phone showed it was in Upper Brook Street and moving away from the university, prompting James to give chase with friend Alex Bennett.
James, from Manchester Road, said: “I turned around to talk to the students on the table behind me and when I turned back my phone had gone.
“The tracker is a free application I had set up.
"You log into the account and activate the service, and using the GPS in the phone it tells you where it is.
“One of my mates Nick Crisp watched it on the map on his phone and me and Alex went out to track it down.
“We saw a man ahead and ended up running after him for about half a mile.”
Throughout the chase Nick shouted instructions down the phone to Alex.
James picked up the pace, dashed through a subway and jumped on a departing bus in Grosvenor Street just after the man.
The former Habergham High School pupil said: “I got on the bus after him and said 'you've got my phone, haven't you?'.
"But he said 'no' and showed me two of his pockets again.
“The bus driver said 'we're not going anywhere until you prove you haven't got his phone’.
“I was out of breath because I'd just run all the way up the street, but I blocked the door and the bus driver said he wouldn't move.
“Finally the guy said 'here you go' and gave me it back, but he didn't say sorry or anything like that, he just got off the bus and walked away.”
The bus driver told James the vehicle was covered by CCTV and to ring the police.
However, by coincidence, parked behind the bus was a parked police van.
After James had a quick word with two officers, they followed the man and arrested him just around the corner.
James, who is an aerospace engineering student, said he was just relieved to have his phone back, and grateful the technology had made it possible.
He said: “I doubt many people get their phone back that quickly when it's stolen.
"I would have been pretty lost without my phone.”
A GMP spokesman said a man had been charged in connection with the theft and three other counts of burglary.
Comments(34)
BwDouble
says...
1:52pm Wed 23 Mar 11
cdog
says...
2:04pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Manuel Hung
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2:14pm Wed 23 Mar 11
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So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on?
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Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?
cdog
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2:32pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Manuel Hung wrote:so because hes a student he shouldnt have an iphone?
A student with an iphone 4.
.
So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on?
.
Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?
and because he has one that can only mean hes spent his ema grant on it?
and all students have been demonstrating through london have they?
i think you've been in the sunshine too long
BwDouble
says...
3:28pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Manuel Hung wrote:Dear Sun Reader
A student with an iphone 4. . So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on? . Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?
Maybe you should go back to college to learn about student life.
useyourhead
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3:36pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Izanears
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4:38pm Wed 23 Mar 11
cdog wrote:I am on Dragons Den next month with a brain implant that stops people from leaving mobile phones, particularly expensive ones, lying around on desks etc etc. It will also include an add on for ladies who leave open handbags on the front seat of their car.
im on dragons den with this app next month. iv created a device from an iphone, car keys, and sellotape, that prevents you from ever losing your car keys again.
colnelad
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4:43pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Manuel Hung wrote:oi little b@llocks sounds like your **** off cos you hav'nt even got a mobile....
A student with an iphone 4. . So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on? . Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?
at least james bird has bigger balls than you....;-)
well done mate.
Truth will out
says...
4:44pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Just a pity the thief wasn't detained until the police arrived or better still given a slap.
Truth will out
says...
4:44pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Just a pity the thief wasn't detained until the police arrived or better still given a slap.
colnelad
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4:47pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Izanears wrote:yeh but thieves will always be thieves and if they want it they will take it....
cdog wrote: im on dragons den with this app next month. iv created a device from an iphone, car keys, and sellotape, that prevents you from ever losing your car keys again.I am on Dragons Den next month with a brain implant that stops people from leaving mobile phones, particularly expensive ones, lying around on desks etc etc. It will also include an add on for ladies who leave open handbags on the front seat of their car.
scum bags, at least this thief did'nt attack james.
happycyclist
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5:13pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Stone Island
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5:21pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Truth will out wrote:The article states that the thief was apprehended by the police shortly afterwards.
When you read of all the scumbags on here thank God that for once something went right. Just a pity the thief wasn't detained until the police arrived or better still given a slap.
Stone Island
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5:28pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Is the LT sure he's from Burnley?
stupidisasstupiddoes
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5:35pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Chris P Bacon
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5:38pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Stone Island wrote:Well it's obvious he isn't a Grintwum, isn't it. He looks clean and so therefore couldn't have been a soap-dodger. That rules your hovel right out the picture, eh.
Well done to the young man, for showing intelligence and courage in tracking the thieving b'stard down.
Is the LT sure he's from Burnley?
happycyclist
says...
6:00pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Stone Island wrote:Ha ha
Well done to the young man, for showing intelligence and courage in tracking the thieving b'stard down.
Is the LT sure he's from Burnley?
Phuck Mei Banjina
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6:01pm Wed 23 Mar 11
colnelad
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6:05pm Wed 23 Mar 11
happycyclist wrote:heard the chavvy thief came from b/burn ;-0
Stone Island wrote: Well done to the young man, for showing intelligence and courage in tracking the thieving b'stard down. Is the LT sure he's from Burnley?Ha ha
colnelad
says...
6:10pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Phuck Mei Banjina wrote:my phones a brick and programmed to launch it-self at any thieving git who tries nicking it ;-)
LOL you tell em Chris ! Grintwum HaHa. I have a Blackberry and if its ever stolen I just enter a password on my PC the phone tells me where it is and locks out the thief, also lets out a shrill screech no matter how many times the battery is taken out or reinserted. Basically makes the phone dead... until retrieved. Well done James dude ;)
ste.g
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6:36pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Phuck Mei Banjina
says...
6:37pm Wed 23 Mar 11
colnelad wrote:LOL too right dude. Personally I would of knocked him out cold, then searched him Aha ;)) what a sad state of affairs when you can't leave anything for one second and without worrying it won't be pinched. Viva La Revolution !
Phuck Mei Banjina wrote: LOL you tell em Chris ! Grintwum HaHa. I have a Blackberry and if its ever stolen I just enter a password on my PC the phone tells me where it is and locks out the thief, also lets out a shrill screech no matter how many times the battery is taken out or reinserted. Basically makes the phone dead... until retrieved. Well done James dude ;)my phones a brick and programmed to launch it-self at any thieving git who tries nicking it ;-)
Manuel Hung
says...
7:36pm Wed 23 Mar 11
cdog wrote:YES
Manuel Hung wrote: A student with an iphone 4. . So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on? . Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?so because hes a student he shouldnt have an iphone? and because he has one that can only mean hes spent his ema grant on it? and all students have been demonstrating through london have they? i think you've been in the sunshine too long
.
YES
.
YES
&
NO
Manuel Hung
says...
7:38pm Wed 23 Mar 11
colnelad wrote:And you would know eh lad?
Manuel Hung wrote: A student with an iphone 4. . So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on? . Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?oi little b@llocks sounds like your **** off cos you hav'nt even got a mobile.... at least james bird has bigger balls than you....;-) well done mate.
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Do they bang against your chin when you are sorting him out?
colnelad
says...
8:48pm Wed 23 Mar 11
Manuel Hung wrote:now now mh
colnelad wrote:And you would know eh lad? . Do they bang against your chin when you are sorting him out?Manuel Hung wrote: A student with an iphone 4. . So this is what the E.M.A grant and all my other taxes are being spent on? . Little wonder then that they have all been demonstrating through London and wrecking the place?oi little b@llocks sounds like your **** off cos you hav'nt even got a mobile.... at least james bird has bigger balls than you....;-) well done mate.
Heretical
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10:12pm Wed 23 Mar 11
And to Mr or Ms Hung he's at Manchester Uni so no EMA, just a very large debt instead so don't worry about your taxes.
Lifeinthemix
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10:18pm Wed 23 Mar 11
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RAyzer
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7:52am Thu 24 Mar 11
mys
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7:53am Thu 24 Mar 11
jinkyjase
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2:03pm Thu 24 Mar 11
noddy57
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4:30pm Thu 24 Mar 11
shimmy
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5:00pm Thu 24 Mar 11
CliveE
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7:50pm Sun 27 Mar 11
However,he should not have left it lying about in a place that is so easy to steal from.My phone is always in my shirt pocket or jeans pocket.I ner put it downand it cost nowhere near 500 quid.Could the thief have turned it off to stop it being tracked?I am not expert on these things.
gudari says...
12:54pm Wed 23 Mar 11