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Find My Phone tracks stolen car with 5yo child inside it, allowing police to intercept

A stolen SUV with a five-year-old boy in it was successfully intercepted by police in northwest Houston last night after the child’s father used the Find My Phone feature on his iPad to track an iPhone in the car.

The father had left his son in the car while he ran into a store, when it was stolen.

“The father had an iPad that he’d taken in with him and he utilized that iPad with the iPhone that was in the car and was able to track it,” said Lt. Wayne Schultz with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. “And the information was provided from our deputies to our dispatch, that was able to be communicated through the Harris County Sheriff’s Office dispatch also and they were able to get information out to the troops in the field to where we could disseminate information in almost a real-time environment to put it out to guys who were looking for the vehicle with the child in it.”

Police stopped the SUV 15 minutes later and re-united the child, who was unharmed, with his father. The suspect was arrested.

While we might raise an eyebrow at leaving a  5yo child in a car on his own, credit has to be given for having the presence of mind in such circumstances to use Find My Phone in such stressful circumstances.

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Comments

  1. DubTheDJ - 11 years ago

    I don’t understand how he took an iPad into the shop with him but didn’t mind leaving his child there. Surely it wouldn’t of been such an inconvenience to just bring the child in with him.

    Great use of technology in a situation like this though.

  2. shareef777 - 11 years ago

    While I’m completely against over legislation, I wish they’d create a law that severely fines any parent that leaves there child in the car for even a minute. I have three children, and wouldn’t dare leave any of them (even my oldest who’s 7 yo) in a car alone for a second. If I’m going somewhere where I can’t see them then they’re coming with me. If they can’t come with me for whatever reason, then I’M NOT GOING.

    • PMZanetti - 11 years ago

      Your entire first sentence is a massive contradiction. What you mean to say is, you wish some people were not so stupid and thus not creating victims born out of stupidity.

      You cannot create laws to prevent stupidity. That’s called Tyranny.

  3. Scott Rose - 11 years ago

    9to5Mac fails to mention that the store was a LIQUOR STORE. So not only did this parent neglect his own child, but he was also trying to get drunk as well. I think this parent should be arrested.

  4. Povl H Pedersen - 11 years ago

    I don’t understand how people can accept living in a country with no law and order. The US needs to lower crime rate, rather than becoming like Mexico.
    In many countries, it is safe to leave your child in the car, or in the pram outside the store.

  5. The local news (I live in the Houston area) said that the father used the store clerks iPod Touch to find his phone.

Author

Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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