Q: i found a 5s owner left a msg at activation lock

Turn the iPhone over to your local authorities.

Hi

If the owner's message did not include a phone number or other contact information, then there is nothing that you can do either to contact them or to be able to use the iPhone, which is protected by Activation Lock.

Apple will not provide you with the owner's contact information or contact them on your behalf.

Hand the iPhone in to your local law enforcement / police, who may be able to reunite it with the owner if they have reported it lost or stolen.

juhjuh wrote:

 

if i cant crack the activation lock they wont be able to either.

The police do not need to "crack the Activation Lock" in order to be able to reunite a lost or stolen iPhone with its owner.

The iPhone's IMEI is printed on the back. If the user has reported the iPhone missing and provided this information, that is all that the police will require.

Turn it in to your local police.

You are not "doing the right thing" by erasing/hacking the phone and then "trying" to return it. If there was no phone number listed in the activation lock message, then turn it over to the police. It is their responsibility to find the owner, not yours.

That is not your concern.