Stolen phone

So it's my fault for creating the opportunity, but my phone was stolen today. What a pain in the ass...

I went to lunch at Chili's before work, and left in a hurry because time got away from me. Was heading to pick up a co-worker, started to call and let him know I was a minute away and that's when I noticed it was gone. I had left it on the bar after paying my bill.

He got in the car, and called the restaurant, and they worked between managers and workers trying to figure out what happened and who was calling.... In the meantime, i got back to the restaurant. The phone was gone.

The bartender said she had moved it closer, away from the rail, thinking I had gone to the restroom. Didn't realize I had left. Meanwhile, a guy sitting at a booth in the bar area had come up to ask her a question, and he's the only one who came anywhere near the phone. He and my phone were gone by the time I got back.

Texted my phone from a helpful customer's phone, offering a reward (which I had no intention of paying) and saying no questions asked. Otherwise the restauarnt has cameras and police would be called. Police were called by the restaurant. I took the co-worker to work, told the boss why I was taking the day off, and went back to the restaurant.

Police had arrived, and the dude had responded, wanting me to meet him in a less than desirable part of town. The police officer took over replying, trying to get the guy to come closer, and increased the reward offer. The guy finally offered to meet at another spot, still not in a good part of town. The cop said not good enough and the guy cut off all communication. The cop strongly advised me not to go, since I was probably being set up for a robbery (I took his advice.)

NEXT UP: Attempting to get a replacement.

 

That sucks. shame many people are scumbags.

 

So I left the restaurant (after paying for the lady's dinner who had helped me by letting me and the police officer use her phone) and went to Best Buy. By now, it was approaching 6 pm so I figured I had plenty of time.

I got to Best Buy and explained. They looked up my account and said I'd have to pay the early termination fee ($180) for the last three months of the contract and they would then be able to sell me a new phone on the new plans that allow the phones to be paid for in 24 months of installments.

I called Verizon (on the Best Buy associate's phone) .... The CS agent OFFERED to try to waive the fee since I have been a customer for more than 10 years and that there were three months left on the contract. Did this without me even asking .... So he put me back on hold....

Came back after 5-10 minutes... said only way he could do that is if I was at a corporate store. I told him all the corporate stores were closed for the night, and he figured that out after a minute or two. He then put me back on hold trying to get the fee waived another way. After an hour of being on hold and him trying, we weren't getting anywhere.

Meanwhile, the CS agent called Verizon through his number (for retailer support) and we got a similar runaround, only this time the offer was to send me a phone (no later than Tuesday) and that I could pay out my contract and then switch to a new plan. So I was going to have to pay double for three months and be without a phone for 48 hours. By this time, Best Buy was closing, and I wasn't getting a phone tonight.

So tomorrow, I go to the corporate store, because Tuesday is not good enough (but still doable if that's the absolute best) .... and I try to figure out why I am still with Verizon when I could switch to another carrier and have them pay the termination fee and start a new contract immediately. Is losing my business over a contract provision that could easily be waived worth it?

Meanwhile, I got home, logged into my Samsung account and attempted to wipe the phone. I already disconnected it from working, but the crook still had access to stuff on the phone.... my pictures, contacts, etc. So even if I do get it back, its really not worth it.

 

Sorry to hear that. Do you not have it locked with a passcode?

 

What am I missing? The police were unwilling to go with you or pretend to be you to the meeting because the meeting place was sketchy?

 

That's correct. It was also crossing into a different jurisdiction.... from a burb to the main city where I live.

 

It does have a passcode, but he was able to respond to my texts yesterday, so I'm fearful that the screen was still active when he got it.

 

That sucks.

For about 18 months now, I've had to carry two phones, and it has been difficult for me to get accustomed.
I've left or dropped one at least twice that I can think of off the top of my head. Once at highway rest stop and once at a mall. Both times, they were found by employees or security and I recovered it the same day.

I just hate how big cell phones have gotten. I have two iPhones, neither is the big pop-tart sized one, but they are still too big.
When can we have more small phone options, please?
If the phone is more comfortable to keep in my pocket, I am less likely to take it out when I don't need it, which means I'm less likely to leave it some place.

 

I once couldn't find my phone anywhere. The last place I looked was the garbage can in a parking lot of a Walmart where I threw junk away from inside my car, and there it was.

 

I lost my phone inside my car twice.
Once it had fallen into a bag that contained some work-related items. Over the course of the day, the bag was in and out of the car at various locations. I was checking the Find My iPhone app on my iPad, and it was really vexxing me.

Another time, there was some kind of lag in the location service. We stopped at Pyramid Lake overlook in the Grapevine, and about 10 minutes after we drove out I couldn't find my phone. Next exit off the 5 several miles down the road, we pull over. Don't find it. Check Find My iPhone, and it's showing the phone is back at the overlook.
We drive back. No phone where we were parked and where I got out of the car. Checking the Find My iPhone, it says it is where we are. We look for a long time, but nothing.
Finally head out and figure it is lost. Driving down the highway and now Find My iPhone is showing the phone moving along with us.
Go to the next exit, again. Get out and really rip the car apart. It was in the car the whole time.
On our way to Carpinteria. Made us an hour late.

 

Today's update:

Got a new phone, but not without hassles.

Went to the corporate store, got the same runaround. They called customer service, got the same runaround. Finally spoke with someone who figured something out. I was able to buy the phone at Best Buy, add a line to my current account, pay for the two lines for 3 months (until my contract ends) and then drop back to a one-line phone. The expense of doing that is cheaper than paying the higher price ($13 more per month) for the phone through Verizon. Additionally, I got a $200 gift card, which I used to pay for 2 years of protection so that I won't have this issue again...

Still, way too much corporate bullshit to what should have been a simple solution. Good to see being a valued customer is worth nothing.

 

I'm waiting for phones to come equipped with gun barrels.