A Wichita Falls, TX resident experienced a Christmas miracle when his 2005 Land Rover was stolen from an area Marriott. His iPhone was inside the Land Rover, and it was connected to MobileMe. What ensued was an ingenious means of tracking the stolen vehicle. Below is the first-hand, still anonymous account:
Pretty amazing Christmas Story! Early this morning my 2005 Land Rover was stolen from the Marriott in Wichita Falls TX. The local police put me on hold, transferred me around and did nothing. My iPhone was in the car in between the seats and turned on. I tracked it using MobileMe Find My Phone to HWY 287 on the way to Decatur. When they exited the highway and headed on a Farm road for Justin TX a few miles away, I contacted the Justin Police and with the help of a very savvy operator we pinpointed the car at a Sonic. While I was on the phone with her, she said the officer sees your car and is going to make the arrest. A few minutes later she frantically calls me to start tracking the car again. The officer had handcuffed the suspects, sat one down on the curb while putting the other in the back seat. When he got back, the guy had Houdini’d the cuffs from behind his back to the front, fought with the officer and jumped in my car, dragged him and ran over him. I followed the car on the iPhone and directed the Highway Patrol to where he was – high speed chase ending with him flipping the Land Rover several times. The policeman is going to be fine – he is at the hospital with multiple bruises etc. The screenshot is where the car thieves ran over the policeman and escaped. I am just so thankful the policeman was not seriously hurt – I could care less about the car or the crook.
I myself went through an experience last summer when my iPhone was stolen, and also connected to MobileMe. Although I tracked my iPhone to Bushwick, Brooklyn, NY, my local precinct refused to help me. (To be fair, I didn’t have a car to steal!) However, it’s encouraging to see police departments beginning to recognize MobileMe as a valid means of tracking devices. Because honestly, what good is having MobileMe if the police declines to use it in cases of theft?
Merry Christmas, anonymous Wichita Falls, TX iPhone user!
Article Via 9 to 5 Mac
Photo Credit: Wired
