Stolen MacBook Pro and Locked

Question

Stolen MacBook Pro and Locked

Hey,

I bought a late 2014 MacBook Pro on Craiglist when I was in Los Angeles on jan 30th. The guy who sold me reseted the Laptop for me to use it. I did all the "begging" steps and then my laptop had my Apple ID. On fab 7th, it was stolen (in a bus comming back to LA from another city) and my laptop was in my hand luggage. I just noticed I lost my laptop when I'd use it in the next day during the night. When I accessed Find My iPhone, it said my laptop was locked on feb 8th at 8:02 am, about 12 hours before I noticed the lost. Then I went to the police station and they just said they couldn't go to the pin address, but they got the serial number of it. Also, it was not me who locked that and I'm the only who know both passwords: the computer and iCloud passwords. Who stole it probably don't have it's reciept (I do!). So, how could someone lock my laptop before me? Also, is there anyway for me to unlock it and try to find it again? I'm not in the US anymore, so, I don't know if there's any chance for me to get my laptop back or locate it.

Posted on Feb 12, 2015 2:18 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 12, 2015 2:33 PM in response to Antonio Castagnoli

I bought a late 2014 MacBook Pro on Craiglist when I was in Los Angeles on jan 30th.

The comp is still under warranty. Suggest you call AC about your concerns. Apple will not help you "find" your stolen computer as that is a police matter. However, they will help you w/the Find My Mac options.

Did you also report the theft to your homeowners insurance company?

If you paid w/a credit card, notify them also.

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Answer 2

Feb 13, 2015 1:14 PM in response to Baby-Boomer-USofA

Actually, I accessed Find My Mac about 12 hours after the laptop was locked. It was already locked (All I could see was it's old location when it was locked). How could someone lock my laptop not having both passwords, the access password and icloud password. Now I can't see the location anymore. That's all I want to know: how could someone lock my laptop before I could do that and if Apple can help me to unlock it.

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Answer 3

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Feb 13, 2015 1:29 PM in response to Antonio Castagnoli

It seems that your iCloud account could be compromised.

I can't think of any other explanation unless the device was still registered to the old owner. I don't expect that Apple would allow a device to register to 2 iCloud accounts. I don't have enough devices to test that theory either.

You should check your email history, iCloud notifies you when devices are locked, you should also look at account settings for iCloud & the Apple ID to see if you can tell which devices are allowed to access the iCloud account. You may also consider setting up 2 step authentication, but that will take a few days.

I don't know what you mean by the 'begging' steps, if there was some complications in setting up the Mac with iCloud/ Find My Mac you may need to explain them.

Also speak to an Apple store - perhaps the thief tried to login too many times & caused the Mac to get locked? I just haven't heard of that as a feature on OS X.

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Answer 4

Feb 15, 2015 3:03 PM in response to Drew Reece

Earlier today, I got an e-mail from iCloud reporting me that a sound was played in my laptop. So, It's still alive. What I meant by "begging steps" was "beginning steps". It's when a laptop is set as new and you set your own settings (also, iCloud). So, officially, I was the only one who could access that computer at that moment.

The question is: how can Apple help me? The police is encharged to find the thefts and take the computer (and they don't do that at all). Can Apple tell me if the laptop is setted in another iCloud account? Now I now my laptop is alive! There's a small chance for me to get it back. And I want to try.

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Answer 5

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,684 points

Feb 15, 2015 5:04 PM in response to Antonio Castagnoli

Antonio Castagnoli wrote:

Earlier today, I got an e-mail from iCloud reporting me that a sound was played in my laptop. So, It's still alive. What I meant by "begging steps" was "beginning steps". It's when a laptop is set as new and you set your own settings (also, iCloud). So, officially, I was the only one who could access that computer at that moment.

That makes sense 🙂

Antonio Castagnoli wrote:

The question is: how can Apple help me? The police is encharged to find the thefts and take the computer (and they don't do that at all). Can Apple tell me if the laptop is setted in another iCloud account? Now I now my laptop is alive! There's a small chance for me to get it back. And I want to try.

I don't know how Apple can help, only Apple can answer that.

The store seems like a reasonable place to ask or use the online support & arrange for a call …

http://www.apple.com/support/contact/

Have your details ready & good luck with it.

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Answer 6

Feb 18, 2015 6:59 AM in response to Drew Reece

I called Apple Support Brazil and they couldn't help me. They told me that when you try a lot of times the wrong password, your laptop is locked (as it happend 12 hours before I searched for my laptop on Find My iPhone). She also told me it's impossible to restore the laptop, format, or anything when the laptop is locked. Except if you go to an Apple Store and ask them for help (you need to show the reciept, but who knows the guy just said "I'm sorry, I forgot my reciept" and the lazy attendant just helped him without reciept). She also told me the theft can't use/sell the hardrive (or flash drive, in this case) or the logic board. So... the laptop is useless at all (which makes me happier: probably the theft won't be stealing Apple laptops again because he knows he can do nothing with that).

Althought, I'll be calling Apple in the USA and also be calling the police. Maybe they'll have news.

Thanks for helping!

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