[surferboy]

Sadly, my iPod was either stolen from my home the other day, or it is in the bottom of one of my kids' toys. If I can figure out the last time it was mounted on my iMac, I can figure what day it disappeared and who the most likely thief is. So my question is this: does anyone know of a way to find out when the last time the iPod was mounted? I have (had) a 3G 40Gig iPod. I have the dock sitting next to the iMac connected via firewire. I play the iPod to both the computer and to the stereo via Airtunes. Is there some app, utility or log that might reveal when the last time the iPod was mounted?

I tried to look in iTunes to view songs by the last time they were played. Unfortunately, that does not help me, because since the songs were played from the iPod, the information about last played, etc. is stored on the iPod- not on the iMac.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[rozwado1]

open Console and look at your system.log. If you have the iPod enabled as a HD, then it'll show up when it last mounted.

Stuck in one of your kid's toys? wtf?

[wuzup101]

Is there a posibility that one of the kids got ahold of it and put it somewhere? Hopefully you manage to find it - that's a nice chunk of change there to replace...

[surferboy]

Roz- I meant to type stuck in one of my kids' toy piles. I caught it after I posted it. Thanks for the tip- actually did that and found the last mount- I am able to pinpoint when it dissappeared- and based on the timing, it was likey stolen- right from. Probably by a guy who was working on the house.

Major bummer.

[surferboy]

Originally posted by surferboy:
Roz- I meant to type stuck in one of my kids' toy piles. I caught it after I posted it. Thanks for the tip- actually did that and found the last mount- I am able to pinpoint when it dissappeared- and based on the timing, it was likey stolen- right from. Probably by a guy who was working on the house.

Major bummer.

Roz- having trouble typing: meant to say: "right from my home."

[wataru]

Originally posted by surferboy:
Roz- having trouble typing: meant to say: "right from my home."

Why don't you just edit your post instead of posting again to correct it?

[Lancer409]

cause it boosts post counts =) .. if it was stolen .. how did u recover it? ... or did the thief hide it in a toy pile until the "heat" dies down?!?

[surferboy]

Originally posted by Lancer409:
cause it boosts post counts =) .. if it was stolen .. how did u recover it? ... or did the thief hide it in a toy pile until the "heat" dies down?!?

I did not recover it. All I did was figure out exactly when it dissappeared. We had a guy working on the house the morning after it was last mounted on the iMac. So, I suspect this man took it.

I'd like to think it's in a toy pile- but it was out of reach from the children- wishful thinking that they snared it.....

Thanks for all the help.

[Lancer409]

call 'em back .. n tell 'em u need something fixed ... and have a group of armed men waiting for 'em to get in ur house.. lol .. you'll get answers pretty quick .. living in san francisco .. whenever someone works on ANYTHING multiple people follow 'em around to see what they're doing .. trust has to be earned .. lol

[wuzup101]

I agree... tomorrow morning have everyone in the house hut for it in all the likely cases. Question the kids and such and make the wife try to remember if she stuck it anywhere. If you can't find it call the guy back and get him to your house again. I would personally recomend a 12 guage automatic shotgun loaded with buckshot. Load it in front of him... then put it on a table somewhere... then asking him politely where your iPod went. Either that or you could just call the police

[X-Ray]

Hey, don't give up the ship quite yet. Back in the mid part of June I, too, "lost" my iPod. After frantically ransacking my work site, house and car searching for it with no luck, I finally found it two weeks later! It was the pen/pencil pouch of my laptop bag - a place where I never had put it before, nor since as a matter of fact. So, you never know where it might show up.

[rozwado1]

Originally posted by surferboy:
Roz- having trouble typing: meant to say: "right from my home."

Forgiven. Now quit boosting your count!

What kind of repair guy was working? If it was a big company (cable) you may be able to track down the guy. I'd call the co. and ask if they have had any problems with the repair guy in the past. Keep it nice, then search the house. If you find it, just call back and tell them there's no problem.

[macgfx]

Sounds like a job for sPypod.............

sPypod is an app that hides on your iPod and sends the ip address of any computer it connects to a sevrer that the owner can track.

Now........all someone has to do is write it.

[surferboy]

Originally posted by macgfx:
Sounds like a job for sPypod.............

sPypod is an app that hides on your iPod and sends the ip address of any computer it connects to a sevrer that the owner can track.

Now........all someone has to do is write it.

I love the sPyod idea. We need a true Mac guy to work on that. The guy- believe it or not was a locksmith changing the deadbolt on the new house we just bought! Scary to think that a licensed and bonded locksmith would do such a thing. Even more scary to think this guy has a key to our house.

We called the company the day we figured it out. Nary a complaint about the guy- supposedly an honest, upstanding guy. No complaints with the BBB. So, we either suck it up - or hope to find it in a random compartment in one of my bags. Unfortunately, the latter is becoming less and less likely.

What good has come out of this? Not much other than to learn not to trust anyone- even out here in the wholesome Midwest. Second: the sPypod suggestion is phenomonal.

[rozwado1]

Originally posted by macgfx:
Sounds like a job for sPypod.............

sPypod is an app that hides on your iPod and sends the ip address of any computer it connects to a sevrer that the owner can track.

Now........all someone has to do is write it.

Well, get on the horn! There's alot of talented coders here that could help you with the idea. Try pitching your idea in the Lounge. I like "spyPod" better.

[macgfx]

I think Apple would have to implement sPypod, as the iPod software is very proprietary. I don't know of any dev-kit for the iPod.

Would be best if Apple did it, they could also run the tracking server. You could just log-in with your AppleID and track your iPod. Of-course there would be a password to turn it off for those who did not want to run "spy-ware".

I've got a program that does this on my PowerBook, so if some sticky fingered jerk(see locksmith) swipes it, they better wipe the hard-drive before connecting it to the "net".

ISP's are helpful when you are trying to recover stolen computers. Got to thank the RIAA for that one.

Be nice if the "spy-ware" I run on my PowerBook was in Firmware.

[Randman]

Actually it would be nice if one had an option to lock the iPod, using some key command on the scroll wheel, or a numeric locker to prevent such things from happening.
I'd still file a report with the police. And if you registered (hopefully) the iPod, it'll have the serial number as yours, even a wipe and reinstall won't change that.

Theft is theft. If you can be 100% sure the iPod wasn't misplaced, then don't let anyone get away with crime if you possibly can.

[macgfx]

Ok, I'm going to whip this horse a bit more than I should.......................

I can see Steve Jobs doing a Keynote at some Mac event. He is announcing this new feature of the iPod and the Apple "service" that you can logon to and track your iPod. Weeks before Apple planted a "sPypod" enhanced iPod in a tech coffee shop, where some jerk stole it while the "owner" was in the head.

The "owner" logged on to the Apple tracking server and checked the "My iPod has been stolen by some mindless jerk" link box. As if by magic the new "sPypod" server went about it's task of looking for the iPod. Soon the iPod was connected to a computer, a Mac no less, and ratted out the Mac's IP as well as gleaning the iChat A/V member ID.

Purely by chance, this member is online with both is iSight and the stolen iPod connected to his/her Mac.

Steve clicks to video chat with this jerk. The jerk unaware sees that SteveJobs@mac.com is inviting him to a video chat. He accepts thinking wrong number or maybe he has "won" something.

He has in-fact won something, the "schmuck of the day", prize to be awarded by is local police.

"Hello, this is Steve Jobs, seeing you live form "this Apple event", I'm pleased to know you, however that iPod you have connected to your Mac is mine." says "The Steve".

"What!" says the jerk.

"You speak english, that is my 'Pod"

"What!"

"English, do you speak it? What country you from anyway?"

"What!"

After the jerk finds himself, he tells Steve that he bought the iPod off ebay and produces the sales info to prove that he did.

Steve fills him in.

Turns out the jerk is not the jerk after all, only a schmuck. After contacting Paypal/ebay to inform them of all this and turning the iPod to the local police. He gets a refund from Paypal/ebay, and Steve sends him a new iPod.

Apple. ebay/paypal, the local police track down the seller. Turns out the coffee shop does not have cameras ,but the seller payed for his coffee with a Credit Card and the transaction took place just before the iPod was removed from the dock.

At a loss to explain this the seller/jerk confesses to the crime and pleads to felony theft. After paying a large fine to the court and ebay/paypal he gets 4-years probation and 1000 hours of picking up trash out of the park ,to think about it.

Feel free to post this fairy-tale over at Apple.

[macgfx]

Originally posted by surferboy:
I love the sPyod idea. We need a true Mac guy to work on that. The guy- believe it or not was a locksmith changing the deadbolt on the new house we just bought! Scary to think that a licensed and bonded locksmith would do such a thing. Even more scary to think this guy has a key to our house.

We called the company the day we figured it out. Nary a complaint about the guy- supposedly an honest, upstanding guy. No complaints with the BBB. So, we either suck it up - or hope to find it in a random compartment in one of my bags. Unfortunately, the latter is becoming less and less likely.

What good has come out of this? Not much other than to learn not to trust anyone- even out here in the wholesome Midwest. Second: the sPypod suggestion is phenomonal.

After being 100% sure that a family member did not remove the iPod and lose it.

A() access who was in the house when the systems log notes the removal of the iPod. Be 100% sure that you know who was in the house, kids friends, neighbor, etc. If it leads to only the Locksmith other than family in the house at that time and you have ruled out the young kids, if you have any, did not lose it, see step B

B() File a report with the police

C() Make the police do their job, they work for you. Make them question the Locksmith. If he does not lawyer up, nothing to stop the police from telling him that your iSight was on when he stole the iPod. Most likely he won't know if you had an iSight or not. Most people crack when they are confronted by the police and think that they "know" what they did.

Find out who with the police is in charge of your case and explain what an iSight is and see if he/her will try to "break" the Locksmith with this lie.

I think the police can lie about evidence while questioning, just not in court.

[madmacgames]

yeah that is quite a fairy tale. For starters in most states theft of an iPod would probably only be a misdemeanor petty theft. Along with that, I would think most local police departments would be unlikely to mobilize many resources for such a relatively minor crime when they probably have bigger things to worry about/work on.

To the original poster, though loosing something or having it stolen can be frustrating, you seem to have convinced yourself that the locksmith took it based on no evidence other than the fact that he came to change your lock. Also be careful what you say without any factual evidence. For example if your conversation with his employer gets him fired or reprimanded or anything, it could come back to haunt you with a defamation suit. If you seriously think it could have been stolen, you should have gone to the police and filed a report and not taken it into your own hands by calling the employer, etc. Doing so just opens yourself up to a series of lawsuits in todays world.

[macgfx]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
yeah that is quite a fairy tale. For starters in most states theft of an iPod would probably only be a misdemeanor petty theft. Along with that, I would think most local police departments would be unlikely to mobilize many resources for such a relatively minor crime when they probably have bigger things to worry about/work on.

To the original poster, though loosing something or having it stolen can be frustrating, you seem to have convinced yourself that the locksmith took it based on no evidence other than the fact that he came to change your lock. Also be careful what you say without any factual evidence. For example if your conversation with his employer gets him fired or reprimanded or anything, it could come back to haunt you with a defamation suit. If you seriously think it could have been stolen, you should have gone to the police and filed a report and not taken it into your own hands by calling the employer, etc. Doing so just opens yourself up to a series of lawsuits in todays world.

Theft of anything with a value of over $250.00 is a felony in most states. A 40gig iPod is well over that.

Here in SC they have police who investigate theft. It's not as if a homicide detective is writing traffic tickets. My/your/everyones tax $'s pay the police. They have a job to do and we are the boss. If they can not ? someone who has stolen from our home.........

Sure I'd rather have a Rapist off the streets than an iPod thief. Some police departments are underfunded, however we pay tax, they are to enforce the law no matter the crime.

You can bet your last $ if my iPod were stolen I would see that the police put in a few hours to try to get it back, not just some paperwork. Got to love the old US of A." We the people" are in charge and the police don't have anything "better" to do.

Also, your right, contacting the employer was a bad move. They would not tell you "You know before we sent this guy to your house someone else said that he may have stolen something."

Contacting the police is the right thing to do. Making them put a small amount of effort in to trying to recover your iPod makes things better for all of us, even those who think that the police have something better to do.

Sorry, madmacgames not trying to ofend you only help you see the error of your logic

[madmacgames]

Originally posted by macgfx:
Sorry, madmacgames not trying to ofend you only help you see the error of your logic

I took no offense. From what I read you agreed with most of what I said. As for misdemeanor petty theft or felony grand theft, the "cut-off" is pretty arbitrary and varies from state to state. I had read somewhere before that $400 was the average determining point.

Also, I come from a small town where the local police department does not have the luxury of 20 different departments. And even so in larger cities that have a separate department to handle thefts, higher degrees of theft would likely take a priority. I don't know of any police department capable of assigning each person a single investigation (meaning each instigation is assigned and no investigator has more than one assignment at a time. that is just not going to happen). My meaning was the police are not likely to make it a high priority. I did not mean they would do nothing.

[macgfx]

Originally posted by madmacgames:
I took no offense. From what I read you agreed with most of what I said. As for misdemeanor petty theft or felony grand theft, the "cut-off" is pretty arbitrary and varies from state to state. I had read somewhere before that $400 was the average determining point.

Also, I come from a small town where the local police department does not have the luxury of 20 different departments. And even so in larger cities that have a separate department to handle thefts, higher degrees of theft would likely take a priority. I don't know of any police department capable of assigning each person a single investigation (meaning each instigation is assigned and no investigator has more than one assignment at a time. that is just not going to happen). My meaning was the police are not likely to make it a high priority. I did not mean they would no nothing.

Happy you were not offended, I tend to rub people the wrong way. I'm abrasive in person too.

Small town or large city, very little is done to recover stolen items and such unless "you" fallow up on your report. Cases get lost in the #'s when no one seems to care. The police anywhere are not going to care if you don't.

This is not ideal, however we don't live in an ideal world.

I've helped lots of folks recover stolen property in several states, I'm not an investigator, it's just friends and friends of friend thing.

I hate to see folks get ripped off for their hard earned $tuff.

Pet peeve.

[surferboy]

Great to see a lot of interesting thoughts on the issue. The bottom line is that everything short of the locksmith swiping it has been ruled out: house ransacked; items next to location of iPod dock undisturbed (unlikely kids touched it); only person in the house was the locksmith. While I find it hard to believe a bonded locksmith would do this, I have no other explanation.

Calling the police would have been the right thing to do, but it seemed to be a long run for a short slide. Calling the employer is a bold, and probably senseless thing to do, but if this guy was ripping off all my neighbors, I have paid a small debt to society. If he is a saint, our little complaint would be unlikely to affect his future. A police investigation might make his employers as wary as a direct phone call.

In any case, the iPod with its 6500 songs are gone. I will likely never see it again; now I have to study up on the 4G click-wheels- at some point, I will indulge.

Many good legal points made. I still love the idea of a trojan horse/tracking app (iSpyPod).