Stolen iPad - Find My iPad

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Stolen iPad - Find My iPad

Hi,

My iPad was stolen a few weeks ago, and I had Find My iPhone installed. No results so far (The iPad has only WiFi.)

I have heard through others that it is a simple case for the thieves to wipe the iPad and reinstall it without it showing up again on Find My iPhone.

My question is: when you have a unique serial number for your iPad and the iPad is registered to your unique Apple ID, and also have it registered the unit on Find My iPhone, Why cannot Apple track the unit as soon as it surfaces again? I find it hard to believe that someone will "own" a stolen iPad without connecting it to the App-store.

Is this true? Is the Apple theft protection only an imaginary feature?

iPad, iOS 8.3, Find My Ipad

Posted on Apr 13, 2015 2:42 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 13, 2015 3:06 PM in response to Stigmors

Find my iPad/iPhone is not an anti-theft feature and never has been. It is a courtesy feature to help peple find lost devices. Activation lock is an anti-theft feature. Even if someone erases the device, they need to know your appleid and password to activate it In iTunes. Without that information, activation lock prevents the device from being activated in iTunes, making it useless to whomever has it.

Apple Inc. does not and never has tracked devices for people. They merely provide the hardware and software for people to locate their own devices. Apple Inc. is a passive participant in the find my iPad/iPhone function, not an active one.

see Find My iPhone Activation Lock - Apple Support

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