stoleniphone
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? California
A few weeks ago I took pictures of my baby girl as she was playing without her diaper on. I give her time every day without one so her skin can get some air. She's almost 6 months and has had not even a single case of mild diaper rash. She discovered her feet, so I was taking pictures of her playing with her feet to show her daddy when he got home. Pictures that, when I was a baby, every parent took because it was no big deal.
Well my phone's been stolen. Saturday before this past one. At first we thought it was lost by us, but still reported it to AT&T. I ended up in emergency surgery the next day, so we only called a few times, it would ring, go to voicemail, then finally it went right to voicemail and we figured it was lost and the battery was dead.
Today my husband's phone was shut off, despite the bill being paid on the 4th. This prompted us to check our online statement (we've since figured out the line was suspended because we didn't update our address after moving and mail bounced). And what we saw is that someone is currently using my phone, sending text messages and picture messages, identified as "multimedia message sent". Someone's sent pictures to an e-mail address as well as to a phone number in our same area code.
Obviously this phone is considered stolen. There's been no attempt at locating the owner, as California law requires, which would be easy to do - not only have we sent messages to it, but my e-mail is set up to be accesses just by touching the e-mail button. Someone could send me an e-mail. Or call the contact in my directory titled Mom. Or simply reply to the messages we've sent saying this phone is lost, please call and then my husband's phone number. Or take it to Apple since Apple can locate owners of phones (especially since my husband works for Apple and there's a good chance that the store someone would take it to is the one he works at, only one of two within a very large radius). Or ANSWER IT WHEN WE CALL IT REPEATEDLY.
Now we have a police report and have reported it to Apple (it's an iPhone) in addition to AT&T. Apparently, if someone takes the phone in for activation, it will show up by serial number as stolen and be confiscated.
Now my problem is I'm extremely uncomfortable not knowing what pictures are being sent off my phone, and not knowing who is now in possession of naked pictures of my baby daughter. Can whoever has my phone be charged with possession of child pornography? Especially if it turns out that this thief is sending those pictures to others? In addition with being charged with possession of stolen property? Yes, I'm this pissed that, if I find out who has my phone, I will not hesitate to request charges be pressed. There's NO EXCUSE for not trying to find the owner of something when the owner has called the number, and then to proceed to use the phone for personal use when someone else (my husband) is paying for it.
A few weeks ago I took pictures of my baby girl as she was playing without her diaper on. I give her time every day without one so her skin can get some air. She's almost 6 months and has had not even a single case of mild diaper rash. She discovered her feet, so I was taking pictures of her playing with her feet to show her daddy when he got home. Pictures that, when I was a baby, every parent took because it was no big deal.
Well my phone's been stolen. Saturday before this past one. At first we thought it was lost by us, but still reported it to AT&T. I ended up in emergency surgery the next day, so we only called a few times, it would ring, go to voicemail, then finally it went right to voicemail and we figured it was lost and the battery was dead.
Today my husband's phone was shut off, despite the bill being paid on the 4th. This prompted us to check our online statement (we've since figured out the line was suspended because we didn't update our address after moving and mail bounced). And what we saw is that someone is currently using my phone, sending text messages and picture messages, identified as "multimedia message sent". Someone's sent pictures to an e-mail address as well as to a phone number in our same area code.
Obviously this phone is considered stolen. There's been no attempt at locating the owner, as California law requires, which would be easy to do - not only have we sent messages to it, but my e-mail is set up to be accesses just by touching the e-mail button. Someone could send me an e-mail. Or call the contact in my directory titled Mom. Or simply reply to the messages we've sent saying this phone is lost, please call and then my husband's phone number. Or take it to Apple since Apple can locate owners of phones (especially since my husband works for Apple and there's a good chance that the store someone would take it to is the one he works at, only one of two within a very large radius). Or ANSWER IT WHEN WE CALL IT REPEATEDLY.
Now we have a police report and have reported it to Apple (it's an iPhone) in addition to AT&T. Apparently, if someone takes the phone in for activation, it will show up by serial number as stolen and be confiscated.
Now my problem is I'm extremely uncomfortable not knowing what pictures are being sent off my phone, and not knowing who is now in possession of naked pictures of my baby daughter. Can whoever has my phone be charged with possession of child pornography? Especially if it turns out that this thief is sending those pictures to others? In addition with being charged with possession of stolen property? Yes, I'm this pissed that, if I find out who has my phone, I will not hesitate to request charges be pressed. There's NO EXCUSE for not trying to find the owner of something when the owner has called the number, and then to proceed to use the phone for personal use when someone else (my husband) is paying for it.