WL Theft-app to the Rescue

[mckryan]

These look great for that weird time when you are in the pool and can see your chair, but don't really want to pay it all of your attention. Do you know someone who has used one??

I don't, but it's got to be better than hiding your phone, etc. under your towel. I've always worried about leaving my stuff, so I am definitely giving this a try in May. I'll report back after the trip!

 

[keishashadow]

Glad it had a happy ending but why would anyone leave their bag and go to lunch,

I am amazed that people think there are no thieves at Disney World, the pools are easy targets and never would I leave valuables such as phones, cameras or Credit cards unattended.

Interesting they could charge him with trespass since the resorts are wide open to anyone that wants to wander around.

perhaps being employed by a church he was more trusting than most, but so many of us do tend to leave our guard down @ disney.

disney resorts are certainly different in visitor's access, always wondered why the pool deck would be open to all but (SAB aside) i'm sure there is signage posted indicating the pool is for guests only.

I was going to say that it sounded like a scene out of Miami Vice, but then I remembered the show Thunder in Paradise staring Hulk Hogan. It was a short run show that featured a high-tech speed boat and was mostly filmed at the GF and on the SSL.

very interesting

my DS can't live without his iphone on vacation, but I just switch my AT&T sim card into a cheap throw away phone (you can get a refurbed 3G quad band shipped for under $10). DH has misplaced his phone (a few times lol) never an issue to get the original card deactivated and new one sent.

 

[zimmer-man]

Check this out it's about the same guy..

youtube.com/watch?v=j8BwZzpq0dw&sns=em

 

[twinklebug]

That's simply amazing. The article had me envisioning him running back and forth:

From the time he realized it was missing that's running from:
- Pool to Front desk (time to replace key);
- Front desk to room;
- Boot computer / connect / track phone;
- Room to Dock: Watch Boat pull away;
- Dock to security: grab a CM to show app to;
- Back to room with CM - show tracking;
- Room to Dock & jet across to MK to ID the man;

I would have had a heart attack all along the way. Good thing it wasn't me!

I just reread and saw that the thief had spent some time in the arcade before leaving for the dock. Now it makes more sense as to how he was able to catch up with the guy. Glad he was caught - it sounds like he had a routine of places he'd hit up and has probably been doing this for awhile now. I wonder how many people's trips he has put a tarnish on in the past. He must have had an angel watching over him to slow down the boats and to let it all happen without the man getting away.

 

[keishashadow]

Check this out it's about the same guy..

youtube.com/watch?v=j8BwZzpq0dw&sns=em

The news made it a little dramatic lol!! What a moron.

thanx for the video link

OT - fyi, we like our news w/flare in the 'burg, check out this one featuring my son as the policeman

http://video.pittsburgh.cbslocal.co...+Springdale&flvUri&partnerclipid&rnd=93603013

 

[DisMN]

Great to know that the MobileMe iPhone app works! By the way, the gentleman who lost the phone said he paid about $100 for the software to access the app........I'm fairly certain it didn't cost me anything.

 

[zimmer-man]

Came across this blog in my google this afternoon.. Maybe he's not as dumb as I thought.. His version seems like something outta a movie or something.. Maybe he should sell his story to Apple.....

davelongstrethmusic.com/?p=121

 

[MiaSRN62]

Sammie :Glad it had a happy ending but why would anyone leave their bag and go to lunch,

And do you ever notice all the strollers lined up outside the rides/attractions ? People leave a ton of stuff on those too ! People do seem a bit more relaxed about this sort of thing in wdw.......

Cool story.....thanks to those who supplied the links too.........

 

[91oldkeywest]

try LOOKOUT app.Not only can you locate phones but make it scream like a siren to locate it,lock out the phone from your computer or crash the hard drive so that it becomes useless to anyone who steals it as a last resort.

 

[Sammie]

I think this story shows a need for Disney to step up security at pools. As a guest I really do not like the fact that while I am swimming I have to worry about strangers casing the area.

Yes I know that "guests" could do this also but if Disney would secure the pools better, which to me is not really that hard for them to do, some of these petty theives would move to another area that is easier to access.

There truly is no reason for anyone other than the registered guests of that hotel and DVC members allowed to pool hop to be on the pool deck.

 

[DisneyDispatch]

For those interested in learning more, Dave Longstreth just did a brief interview about his 'adventure' here:

http://disneydispatch.com/content/tidings/2011/a-chat-with-disney-action-hero-dave

 

[Davids-Coco]

Great to know that the MobileMe iPhone app works! By the way, the gentleman who lost the phone said he paid about $100 for the software to access the app........I'm fairly certain it didn't cost me anything.

Mobile Me is $99 a year for an individual acct at retail price. Apple runs a lot of deals though too.

 

[keishashadow]

For those interested in learning more, Dave Longstreth just did a brief interview about his 'adventure' here:

http://disneydispatch.com/content/tidings/2011/a-chat-with-disney-action-hero-dave

he's pretty media savvy, looking for lifetime movie next

 

[theww228]

My wife and I were on Kanapali Beach in Maui and I asked the lady next to us to keep an eye on our stuff while we went into the water. In a slow, hippy voice she replied, "You're on Maui, nothing bad happens on Maui". I replied, "Is that why there are signs everywhere to lock your vehicle and there is broken glass at every place where you park and lose sight of your vehicle?"

It Disney I put a big sign on our stroller with the poison skull and cross bones. I figure if someone was going to steal a stroller or go through the contents, they would not go to the skull and cross bone one first. It is kind of funny watching people's reaction to the sign. They see the sign and then slowly look aroung the front to see what kind of kid is riding in the stroller.

 

[LoriABil]

Since it was an iPhone he may have had "Find My Phone" enabled.

He did. I read this account elsewhere and he used his MobileMe account to find it. This story has eliminated any hesitation I had in renewing that service!

I'm glad everything worked out!

 

[Who's your Mickey?]

Glad it had a happy ending but why would anyone leave their bag and go to lunch,

I am amazed that people think there are no thieves at Disney World, the pools are easy targets and never would I leave valuables such as phones, cameras or Credit cards unattended.

Interesting they could charge him with trespass since the resorts are wide open to anyone that wants to wander around.

Disney does allow anyone to wander through resorts, but if you have no business at a resort (lodging/shopping/dining) and either refuse to leave when asked or commit a crime it is trespassing...

 

[aggiemullins]

While MobileMe still runs $100/year, Apple freed the "Find My iPhone" portion of it in the iOS 4.0 upgrade last year.

So if you have an iPhone (or iPad) and you want to take advantage of this exact same service he used to catch the thief for FREE, follow these quick and easy instructions on Apple's website:

http://www.apple.com/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/

 

[simba20]

And do you ever notice all the strollers lined up outside the rides/attractions ? People leave a ton of stuff on those too ! People do seem a bit more relaxed about this sort of thing in wdw.......

Cool story.....thanks to those who supplied the links too.........

We are people who leave our park bag hanging on our stroller outside of rides. At certain times I have carried it in, however, this is why I also own a Vera Bradley min-hipster that I wear across my body that holds all of our valueable stuff (camera, phone, tickets, credit cards, ID, room key). I used to carry a small wristlet wallet that I'd take out of our diaper bag/park bag with me on rides. Until I was walking out of BTMRR after a ride and realized I left it in the cargo bag. Luckily I had just gotten off so I turned around and walked back in. However, the train had just taken off, so I was told to go in the other exit and wait for the train to return. The CMs were abel to tell which one was the train I had just gotten off of. WHEW! Wallet retrieved. I was lucky. Now I have the mini-hipster.

If someone were to steal our park bag, all they'd get is sunscreen, baby wipes, a spare outfit for DD, snacks...and maybe an M&M tube of pennies and quarters would be the only cash they'd get.

 

[cbeehler3]

I was wondering why the pools aren't secured w/ room key access also.
Even if you pool hop...if you are DVC it should read that. I know that YBC
have key entry.
WL pool has serious outside access though. With the boat dock right at the pool.
Cool story. I am also one that has a lot of faith in people...or the "it won't happen to me" mentality.

 

[ssawka]

I was wondering why the pools aren't secured w/ room key access also.
Even if you pool hop...if you are DVC it should read that. I know that YBC
have key entry.
WL pool has serious outside access though. With the boat dock right at the pool.
Cool story. I am also one that has a lot of faith in people...or the "it won't happen to me" mentality.

You know, it's funny because I remember people asking why you needed a key to access the pool at BLT, when it opened.