Gardaí in Cork City received a report of an overnight burglary at a house on Ardfallen Terrace, Friar Street, yesterday morning.
The victim informed detectives that electronics had been stolen from the house, but he had installed a “Find My Device” app that has the ability to track the location of an enabled device.
Using the tracking software, detectives put an operation in place which led to two arrests and the recovery of a tablet device later that evening, which has since been returned to its owner.
The detainees, a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s, were brought to Bridewell Garda Station and later charged in relation to the incident.
The man is due to appear before Cork City District Court this morning, while the woman is due to appear before the court on September 18th.
Stolen phones
Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Tony Davis said: "It is great to see that our recent Streetwise campaign might be making a difference in getting property back to the rightful owners.”
Mr Davis advised those with a smartphone or tablet to install a similar app with tracking software: “I would like to remind anyone who has a smartphone or tablet to download a trusted "Find My Device” app and add an emergency contact number to their phone.
Over the last 20 months, almost 11,500 phones have been stolen and only 10 per cent of them are recovered.
“Over the last 20 months, almost 11,500 phones have been stolen and only 10 per cent of them are recovered.”
"Other preventative measures you can take include enabling the PIN Security feature, keeping your device locked at all times, and property-mark it with unique personal letters or numbers.
"For those who do not own a smartphone, call *#06# on your keypad and note the IMEI number that comes up. This is a 15 digit number that is unique to your phone. If your phone is lost or stolen, call your service provider immediately so they can block the phone.
The officer advised against people using tracker apps to pursue stolen goods themselves: "If you believe your phone or tablet has been stolen, you should call Gardaí immediately. Do not follow the person via your tracking app.”
