Photos of stranger appear on Facebook page of iPhone theft victim
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SEATTLE -- A University of Washington student is asking for help after police say someone ripped his iPhone right out of his hands on a Sound Transit bus.
To add insult to injury, a day later someone used it to upload photos to the victim's Facebook account.
"It never occurred to me that someone could steal your phone by like literally taking it out of your hands," said Felipe Romo.
Romo caught the 522 bus on his way home late Tuesday night after attending a concert at the Showbox in SoDo.
"It was a pretty uneventful bus ride up until 61st and NE Bothell Way stop," Romo said.
And that's when the theft happened.
"Guy reaches down, grabs my phone, pulls it out of my hand," Romo said. "He pushes me down, runs (off the bus), I chase after him."
Romo said he chased the thief for about three blocks.
"I thought man maybe I can chase this guy and catch him," he said.
But the thief was just too quick.
"I couldn't find him so I just kind of like gave up," Romo said.
He filed a report with police, hoping for a miracle.
The next morning he got a Facebook message from a friend noting that there was a strange photo on his account.
Romo logged in to find a photo of an unknown man plastered all over his Timeline.
"I was, like, wow!" Romo said.
Police say it appears whoever has the phone now took a picture of himself using an app on Romo's iPhone, and that app uploads pictures directly to Romo's Facebook account.
"There's a lot of different features nowadays with the smartphone and when someone posts a picture like this, somebody knows him," said Deputy Charlie Akers with the King County Sheriff's Office.
Romo says he just wants his phone back.
"So even if this isn't the same guy that I chased down 181st, it's still someone with my phone," Romo said.
Romo asks if you have any information on the man in the picture to please contact police.
To add insult to injury, a day later someone used it to upload photos to the victim's Facebook account.
"It never occurred to me that someone could steal your phone by like literally taking it out of your hands," said Felipe Romo.
Romo caught the 522 bus on his way home late Tuesday night after attending a concert at the Showbox in SoDo.
"It was a pretty uneventful bus ride up until 61st and NE Bothell Way stop," Romo said.
And that's when the theft happened.
"Guy reaches down, grabs my phone, pulls it out of my hand," Romo said. "He pushes me down, runs (off the bus), I chase after him."
Romo said he chased the thief for about three blocks.
"I thought man maybe I can chase this guy and catch him," he said.
But the thief was just too quick.
"I couldn't find him so I just kind of like gave up," Romo said.
He filed a report with police, hoping for a miracle.
The next morning he got a Facebook message from a friend noting that there was a strange photo on his account.
Romo logged in to find a photo of an unknown man plastered all over his Timeline.
"I was, like, wow!" Romo said.
Police say it appears whoever has the phone now took a picture of himself using an app on Romo's iPhone, and that app uploads pictures directly to Romo's Facebook account.
"There's a lot of different features nowadays with the smartphone and when someone posts a picture like this, somebody knows him," said Deputy Charlie Akers with the King County Sheriff's Office.
Romo says he just wants his phone back.
"So even if this isn't the same guy that I chased down 181st, it's still someone with my phone," Romo said.
Romo asks if you have any information on the man in the picture to please contact police.
I love how the racist comments come out anytime a black person is pictured or mentioned in the news...nevermind THE GUY IN THE PICTURE ISNT THE PERSON THAT STOLE THE IPHONE. Â The victim mentioned that twice in the article (and other reports on the incident).
I guess people dont read that part. Â This guy probably bought the iphone from the real thief. Â That or the thief is pulling an 'Ashley Todd/Bethany Storro' hoax by posting a picture of a random black stranger hoping to ward off police. Â Not like it hasnt happened before.
I almost think stories like this could be 'test' stories to find out whether bigots read the news they comment on. Â No description of the robber was given, yet every 3rd idiot racist commenter seems to think its the guy in the photo [who, again, THE VICTIM SAID IS NOT THE SAME GUY].
Its almost like message boards ONLY exist for trolling, sexism and racism these days...
if any of my deaf friends havetheir phones tolen no matter what, how the hell do you think a deaf person is going to communicate without texting?
That guy is COOL!
In the immortal words of Jimbo Jones from The Simpsons, "Videotaping this crime spree is the smartest thing we've ever done!"
Well we can see that blunts are the cause of his disablity.
First thought: What a retard for not knowing the photo program he used would upload the photo somewhere..... Second thought: Pay less attention to your device in public and more attention to what is going on around you. Late night on a city bus? Bad place to start messing with apps on any phone. Period. DUH.
Just go to your facebook account and deauthorize any computer or device that has access to facebook. Next time they try and use the phone to upload photos, they will need to type in credentials.
@northwestsurfer That's not the point- he's using the picture to see if others can help him find the perp.
The thief only got 6 months with 1/3rd off for good time but did serve a few months for it ....better than nothing
I've also been a victim of a mugging for my purse in Everett in 2007 where a pair of angels took down the assailants and kept him tackled till police showed up and arrested him and my purse returned so I do have faith that justice will be served ;)
To the person whose phone was stolen - iPhone photos by default contain the GPS coordinates of where the picture was taken. Â Search for 'GeoTags'. Â You might be able to look within the picture file and tell exactly where the picture was taken!
@UtterReality Facebook scrubs this information.
A pair of braisen theives stole my Coach wallet from my purse in the back employee room today at my shop in the Northgate Mall....while his girlfriend was getting pierced he slipped behind the door out of my vision stole my wallet and left promptly telling his girlfriend he would meet her outside...while she was still bleeding from my table I lied and said I needed to fetch a bandaid out of the backroom while I really was checked to see if anything was missing and sure enough it was my wallet he was stuffing down his pants as I caught him exiting the room which led me to suspect foulplay....his girlfriend did nothing to help police as I detained her sorta until the police came....my bosses will be pulling the tape soon and hopefully I might be able to air his photo for a lead....the wallet had rent $ and loads of information valuable to an identity thief and the wallet itself was a newer $328 Coach wallet (my xmas present 2011 and only wallet).... police let his accomplice off with no charges...and friends who work at Ulta say 2 wallets have been stolen in the last week alone from employees at the mall!!! These thieves are getting more risky...if I had seen him the act I bet he wouldve resorted to violence such as this thief here who stole this kids phone ;( Please Seattle PD help catch these theives!
If you've been a victim of theft before, and grew up that way. You develop an eerie sixth sense about it. In turn, the potential thief usually picks up on the mistrusting, not gonna be a victim vibe you're putting out, and will leave you be.
Should have had a password on his phone and wiped it as soon as it was jacked.
@Scott Sanders Then he wouldn't have a picture of the perp.
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@bagsofdirt bagsofdirt wrote:Â "White people are getting tired of the special treatment black people get."
Speak for yourself, Adolf.
@bagsofdirt So you couldn't tell by the picture the color of the perp's skin? Also, off-topic rant.
@bagsofdirt You know this guy is in a gang? Or is he just a random loser?  Pretty sure a higher % of blacks are in prison than whites.  But we can all agree this guy is a loser.
DAD !!!
@Kurtis Gaskin I have a feeling that if you said that word to THIS guy, he'd run faster than a Cheetah on speed.
I highly doubt he'll serve jail time for stealing a phone but I agree with Lisa, you need to use the findmyiphone/pad app
Can you say stupid!!!
If people didn't flash the iPhones and whatever around on the bus or some sketchy place, then maybe people wouldn't need the Find My iPhone app and stuff wouldn't be stolen. Just a thought.
What ELSE would you expect from a Patriots fan?
Look at those little skinny dog turds that he smokes. Get something with a larger ring gauge and make it a decent brand, son.
This is part of a new program to speed up the criminal justice system by getting criminals to send in their mug shots ahead of time.
Start chopping off fingers and see how fast theft like this goes down. We are such a stupid breed with our silly laws and lame criminal justice system.....IT DOESN'T WORK!
Step 1. Â Password protect your phone
Step 2. Â Use "Find my iPhone" app. It's free and you can track it down online, send it a message, and if necessary wipe it of all the data on it.Â
@janstuh lol that pic. And it looks like a fake Gucci belt too
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One of the many reasons I choose not to carry around a $500 phone.
@Stock Woodie Tell the truth. Your prepaid carrier don't have iPhones
@BuddyHolly @Stock Woodie Personally, I don't purchase any Apple products because I think they are overpriced, not to mention, they are just for "show" and to wanna be "cool". I know that when my grandparents(and their friends) are using iPhones now, it ain't cool anymore :)
If my wife and I didn't use so many "work related" minutes, we might actually have prepaid phones. Prepaid phone are a great deal and would probably save us $50/month or so. Not too much, but every little bit counts. But then again, I like to live debt free.
I hope he at least reported this to Facebook.
Grab and go iPhone/iPad robberies are actually pretty common. Wanna know why? Because the users are so focused on the gizmo in their hands that they have no idea what's going on around them. "It happened so fast!" Yeah, because you weren't paying any attention.
@Gabriel Sierra It's a sad world we live in where everyone needs to always be nervously looking over their shoulder. I don't fiddle with my iPhone when I'm in public, but I do keep my head up and lovingly fiddle with the trigger and the safety catch on my Walther PPK...
Here's your sign....
This is the newest thing among thieves. It's called "Apple Picking." They just look for someone texting and not paying attention, then grab the phone and run.
FIND YOU IPHONE!
I hope the owner has Find My iPhone on this thing....I can't believe how many people who have iPhones, iPads, and don't activate this app. So easy.
Everyone with an iPhone or iPad needs FindMyiPhone/pad app.
Everyone with an iPhone or iPad NEEDS the app FindMyiPhone/pad
"let me just take some self portraits of me and my blunts on this stolen phone..."
At an idiot
Hope he gets lock up
stupid is, as stupid does. Can't wait till stupid is caught & gets to serve some much needed time in jail!!!
idiot.
so dumb lol
so dumb lol
Wow, dumb criminal