FYI - my wife works with a lady, this ladies brother found a IPhone 6 which was lost by a falang.

Took it to a shop, had a new SIM card installed and the fone unlocked.

The BIB called him, on his new fone number, and told him to report to the shop which did the fone unlock.

Seems it is possible to track the fone even with a different SIM card and number.

Young man spent a night in detention, and had to pay 100,000 baht bond to be released pending court appearance.

Yes, a phone can be tracked if set up that way. My samsung even emailed me when I changed the SIM with all the new info.

Was news to me. The falang is willing to go down to the police station and say that he did lose it, the young man did not steal it.

Nice of him I thought. And will save the young man a criminal record I hope.

So all he lost was what he paid to get it unlocked. Lesson learned.

There are apps that will not only let you track the phone but listen and take pics remotly. Thiefs beware!

Every mobile phone, be it IPhone, Android or other OS,has an unique identifying number.

It's called the IMEI number, just press *#06# on your phone to see yours.

It works independently from the SIM card that is inserted and is used by authorities to trace and track down phones.

More info http://www.imei.info/

Update - young man paid the falang 2000 baht for time lost, inconvenience, and for a new SIM card. BIB still to decide if they will proceed.

Thanks to all for your replies.

So he stole it? Why else would you pay 2k for using a phone you found?

So he stole it? Why else would you pay 2k for using a phone you found?

x2

Ans yes a phone can be set up that even a factory reset will not help, only a full firmware flush will do the trick, but I'm speaking of the Androids, don't know Jack Sh1t about the Apples and don't want to know.

AFAIK, currently there doesn't exist any (public) software to remove the pass code lock from an iPhone 6 or any iPhone that runs iOS 8 for that matter. I also don't believe that the police have access to IMEI codes of mobile phones. That's the authority of service providers and might involve court order.

Many iPhones have software installed named 'Find My iPhone'. With an existing data connection the GPS location of the iPhone can be found with the help of another iPhone or through a web browser using iCloud. It has happened more than once that the owner with the help of the police retrieved the 'stolen' or 'lost' iPhone. But one has to be quick. When the SIM card is removed, the GPS location of the iPhone cannot be retrieved.

New Iphone 6plus just stolen in Hua Hin....been tracking with Find Iphone with no luck. Any ideas on how to locate using IMEI in Thailand? Thanks.

It'll probably turn up in the hands of "Brother Orange" at some point

But seriously, use FMIP or on android something like PreyProject (which as mentioned, can take pictures etc. It will also work on tablets and laptops, so as with having so many light fingered friends, install an anti theft mechanism immediately if you don't have already.

New Iphone 6plus just stolen in Hua Hin....been tracking with Find Iphone with no luck. Any ideas on how to locate using IMEI in Thailand? Thanks.

Not as easy to do that as it should be especially here, also if an experienced phone guy gets his hands on it there is a relatively simple way to change the IMEI making it untraceable

So he stole it? Why else would you pay 2k for using a phone you found?

I don't know what really happened ... nor do you ... but I'm betting you'd pay if you were falsely accused, could not prove otherwise, and by paying could save yourself a lot of hassle and a criminal record. Or would you stand on principle and not pay and suffer anyway? Sure you would.

It is considered theft as he tried to change the SIM card in a phone he did not own

What if you buy a used iPhone then they later report it stolen? They can track you. No one gives receipts.