UPDATED OCT. 31st 2007. This does not work now on any version of iTunes 7. Wacky stuff you think?
In order to report your iPod stolen with the police, Apple and a website site registry, you’ll need the serial number. If you did not write it don’t worry, you can find the serial number in your itunes software.
- Open up iTunes and go to HELP…
- then Run Diagnostic…
- then iPod Diagnostics.
- Look for the “last connected iPod serial number”.
There will be about 11 digits that are the serial number. Get those numbers listed on an internet registry. If anyone runs the number in a search engine like Google, they will know the iPod is stolen.
Wahoo wrote,
Thank you for sharing!
Link | October 6th, 2007 at 12:47 pm
Clint Stevenson wrote,
If the stolen iPod was not the most recently connected one, don’t worry! You can read a list of all the iPods which have been connected to your computer by looking at this file:
Hard Drive/Library/Preferences/com.apple.iPod.plist
Make sure you open it in Property List Editor (it should come with your Mac) and expand Root->Devices->whatever->Serial Number
Link | October 18th, 2007 at 1:51 am
Rich wrote,
You can also call Apple at 1-800-APL-CARE (1-800-275-2273). They will ask for your logon and password for iTunes. After verifying your info, they will provide all serial numbers you have registered. This was important in my case, as I had most recently sync’d my Shuffle, but it was my 30-gig video that was stolen.
Note: Based on this, you would think they would flag the stolen serial number in the event someone tries to sync it up. I was told they won’t do that. They are apparently more interested in enabling felony possession of stolen property so they can sell me a new one.
Link | November 1st, 2007 at 4:14 pm
MARYANN ELKINS wrote,
Hi, i hope you can help me find my daughter ipod,this was her birthday present,and her so called “friend{boy}”.i think she stole it from her bathroom one night when he was using our bathroom,cause it wss in her the whole day,then the next day was gone,and her ipod was on her ihome base.if you cud help me i sure would be more than greatful.cause i can t afford to buy her another one. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HAVE GREAT THANKSGIVEN AND A GREAT CHRISMAS. MARYANN ELKINS
Link | November 17th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Josh wrote,
MaryAnn,
First, follow all of the instructions based on this website. Second - call the police. Not knowing where you live, it is probable that the police may not do anything about it. But if you were able to convince a local cop of your suspicions, it may aid in your effort to get them to look into it. In California, an Ipod theft (by itself) is a petty theft. However, when someone enters a residence or place of business with the “intent” of stealing something, that is burglary - a felony. Proving the boyfriend’s intent may be difficult to do, but it gives a good cop the wedge for a good field interview (get the kid scared, then let him off if he returns the device).
The worst thing about all of this is that Apple refuses to help. There is no doubt that they are enabling crime to sell more product.
Link | November 26th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Maira wrote,
My iPod was stolen a couple months ago in school. I reported stolen to the school’s office, but I knew they weren’t going to do anything about it. Of corse, they didn’t pay for it. To make matters worse a couple days later my friend Diego told me that he’d seen a [friend] Jose of ours with a new iPod. Jose told him that he’d stolen it from ME. Diego did not believe him so he asked me if they had stolen my iPod. When I gave him my response, he couldn’t believe it, went to his house, and asked for it back. Jose did not let him inside his house. He would just yell, from inside, that he did not have my iPod anymore, for he had lost it. Jose is the only suspect I can think of, for he has a bad reputation of stealing things from the mall. Like a PSP!
Can you help? What should I do?
I will greatly appreciate it.
Link | December 1st, 2007 at 9:45 am
Lisa wrote,
My daughter has has two ipods stolen in 6 months. the serial #’s are
8L706PJHV9M black ipod video stoled from Arco Arena 2/07
8K647U4VV9m black ipod video stolen from Franklin High School Elk Grove 5/07 or 6/07
both 30 gig. Please help, the scumbags that have these need to return them.
Link | December 7th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Jessica wrote,
I lost my ipod at the Shiloh Inn(Yuma)exercising room and I suspect it’s one of the workers or maids. Please, if anyone can help, I really want my ipod back!!!! I”M JUST AN INNOCENT KID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Link | December 25th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Chad wrote,
I just had my iPod video stolen from my car and am livid - granted, the thing’s over 2 years old and scratched to hell, but I used it for all my music, some movies, and as an external hard drive… either way, I found your website and wanted to let you know how I was able to find my serial number (which i stupidly hadn’t written down) - the feature to find your last sync’ed iPod’s serial number is not in iTunes, but if you go to http://www.apple.com/support/manuals/ipod/ near the bottom of the page there’s a green “upload” button with the words “upload the serial number of my last connected iPod” - you’ll have to trust one of their certificates, but then it fills in the box next to it with the serial number.
Hope this helps anyone else that’s in the same predicament… actually, I hope no one else has the same predicament!
Link | January 11th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Jeremy wrote,
It appears Apple has re-enabled the ability to view the last iPod connected to iTunes with the most recent iTunes 7.6 update. In order to do this you need to do the following:
Mac = click iTunes in the menu bar, and then hold down the Control key and choose About iTunes
Windows = click Help, and then hold down the Control key and choose About iTunes
Link | January 18th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
cameron wrote,
i had my brand new itouch stolen from me out of my truck about 2 weeks ago, just 2 days after i got it, along with my ipod mini, subwoofers, head unit, i-trip, bluetooth, and a very expensive knife. they broke in and stole anything that had any value, my estimate of items stolen is around 1400$, i am the 10th car that has been broken into at moorpark college in moorpark CA, since the beginning of 2008, if there is a software to help track my itouch, i beleive i can help catch the theives who might have robbed the other 9 students. cameronlouis790@yahoo.com
Link | February 12th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Michael wrote,
Michael…
Good up the good work….
Link | February 14th, 2008 at 5:09 pm
ernesto landeros wrote,
my son got his stolen at a wrestling tournament!!! SERIAL #YM73077FVQH!! if you can help me out on what to do plse do???? thks!!
Link | February 18th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Taylor Love wrote,
My ipod got stolen at work and i heard i could track it if someone has plugged it in to there computer. If you can help please contact me. Thanks.
Link | February 28th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Brian wrote,
What is meant by ‘diagnostics’?? There’s nothing in help that says ‘diagnostic!.
Link | February 29th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
Michael wrote,
plz!!! help me find my ipod it means so much to me
Link | March 1st, 2008 at 9:35 pm
roxanna wrote,
i l0st an ipod touch and it was brand new help me find it
Link | March 1st, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Vanessa wrote,
My video iPod was stolen from my car today while I was in class…and my brother’s ipod was the last one plugged into my pc - how do i get the serial number? Oh and once I do, how can i find out if its in use?
Thanks…
Link | March 4th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
daniel wrote,
my uncle let me borrow hes ipod but they stole it my uncle has been asking for it i just keep making up excuses i connected it to my itunes but since then i bught me an itouch i already sync it to my itunes wat can i do or were can i call help
Link | March 4th, 2008 at 7:00 pm