Stolen Nexus 6P found using Android Device Manager

posted by Alan F. / Dec 04, 2016, 11:50 AM

The Android Device Manager can help track your lost or stolen Android device

Android Device Manager is a nifty tool that will help you find your lost or stolen Android phone. A good example why every Android user should use ADM was made crystal clear by a post on Reddit. Written by a female Android owner, the post details how she lost and recovered her phone quickly, thanks to the ADM feature. The Reddit poster had her Nexus 6P deftly lifted out of her pocket while she was riding on a bus. The phone does have a fingerprint scanner and a PIN code, but all of her important cards were inside the wallet-style phone case that she used with her handset. That means that the thief had access to her bank account, social security number and other personal information.

Completely frantic (who wouldn't be?), the victim suddenly remembered that she could use the Android Device Manager feature to find the location of her phone. Calling up the information on her desktop, she discovered that her Nexus 6P was only 20-minutes away. After arranging a ride through a friend, she arrived at the destination and found out that a panicked 16-year old boy was the thief. He was freaked out by the words "Android Device Located" that kept flashing on the screen.

While not exactly payback for putting her through the whole ordeal, the victim wrote that the expression on the perp's face when he saw her at the door was priceless. Still, the victim was lucky that the thief was a 16-year old kid and not a gun-toting professional felon. In a situation like this, it is best to have the police involved.

If there is a bigger lesson to be learned here, it is to have the Android Device Manager enabled on your Android device. You never know when it could be the difference between getting your phone back or losing it forever.

A Nexus 6P was stolen and then recovered thanks to Android Device Manager

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source: Reddit

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30 Comments

1. FlySheikh

Posts: 444; Member since: Oct 02, 2015

Lucky girl.. Glad you found your device.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 11:55 AM 3

2. XperiaFanZone

Posts: 2280; Member since: Sep 21, 2012

What about searching "find my phone" on Google on chrome?

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 12:04 PM 4

3. shaineql

Posts: 522; Member since: Apr 28, 2014

Same thing

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 12:41 PM 4

5. droiduh

Posts: 101; Member since: Jun 04, 2015

Why on chrome? No problem on Firefox.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 1:24 PM 1

13. cryptonx

Posts: 60; Member since: Jan 05, 2016

Wow. Is still firefox still being developed

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 3:42 PM 1

28. Settings

Posts: 2943; Member since: Jul 02, 2014

Yes, you're missing half of your life actually.

posted on Dec 05, 2016, 6:59 PM 0

4. Mxyzptlk unregistered

ADM is a good tool surprisingly. I lost my phone at work and was able to locate it thanks to ADM.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 12:45 PM 0

6. BobLawblaw unregistered

Why is this news? It happens every day..

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 1:50 PM 1

7. NarutoKage14

Posts: 1339; Member since: Aug 31, 2016

It's news due to the events that transpired and the fact that there's an actual documented story on the matter. People lose phones every day but rarely does the story get properly documented for others to see.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 1:57 PM 2

8. NarutoKage14

Posts: 1339; Member since: Aug 31, 2016

I hope to never need to use this feature.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 1:58 PM 2

9. piyath

Posts: 2445; Member since: Mar 23, 2012

wow breaking news in android world....lol

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 2:11 PM 0

10. cnour

Posts: 2305; Member since: Sep 11, 2014

Copying Apple is useful.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 2:48 PM 1

12. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

There were apps on Android that did this before Apple introduced their Find My iPhone app. Mobile Defence had one almost 6 months before Apple launched their app. http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/mobile-defense-free-mobile-phone-tracking-system-android/

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 3:02 PM 10

14. AlikMalix unregistered

Same argument: every time someone screams "Apple copied". I was able to do that with another app or accessory!!!! Just saying...

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 4:04 PM 2

17. meanestgenius

Posts: 22388; Member since: May 28, 2014

Instead of what *possibly appears* to be you defending a fellow iOS user for his unnecessary and unwarranted trolling of an Android article, you should be taking the time to denounce your fellow iOS user BECAUSE of his unnecessary and unwarranted trolling. Just sayin'....

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 4:27 PM 9

19. VZWuser76

Posts: 4974; Member since: Mar 04, 2010

Pointing out that Apple didn't invent everything as some people here would like to believe. I didn't say Android had it integrated did I? No I didn't. Just that some things happened without prior involvement from Apple. Unless of course you believe that everything came from Apple and everyone else just copies them. Just saying.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 6:05 PM 4

29. AlikMalix unregistered

No this is a response to the "Apple copies" everything from android bs. But I see Apple features implemented left and right - and all of you are all of a sudden numb to talk.

posted on Dec 06, 2016, 3:18 PM 0

30. meanestgenius

Posts: 22388; Member since: May 28, 2014

But VZW didn't mention that here, Alik. YOU did. He said nothing about Apple "copying" anyone. He said what he said to shut down a known trolls misinformation. You turned his comment around to suit your narrative, as if he were attacking Apple. Classic deflection tactic, often used by trolls.

posted on Dec 06, 2016, 3:57 PM 1

21. maple_mak

Posts: 953; Member since: Dec 18, 2013

"Copying" Apple is useful. Wow, iSheep shamed its favorite company.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 8:24 PM 0

11. k9luvr

Posts: 122; Member since: Oct 17, 2016

"victim was lucky that the thief was a 16-year old kid and not a gun-toting professional felon. In a situation like this, it is best to have the police involved" I still would have gotten the police involved. If the kid spent a little time behind bars it might have done him some good.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 3:00 PM 2

15. JocularJ

Posts: 222; Member since: Apr 27, 2011

I've always been a lookout fan, but two apps that do the same thing will make it all the easier to find my phone

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 4:09 PM 0

16. dmitrilp_

Posts: 330; Member since: Sep 12, 2016

This story is so fake

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 4:24 PM 0

22. maple_mak

Posts: 953; Member since: Dec 18, 2013

Are you butthurt?

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 8:25 PM 1

18. Strra

Posts: 1; Member since: Dec 04, 2016

Looking at the users' other posts, it's most definitely not a girl.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 5:09 PM 0

20. joey_sfb

Posts: 6794; Member since: Mar 29, 2012

Android Device Manager has always been the last step for my phone configuration, its last but not least.

posted on Dec 04, 2016, 7:54 PM 0

25. szoszk

Posts: 1; Member since: Dec 05, 2016

I made use of this feature last weak after I forgot my phone at the university. I noticed it after getting out of the underground, which was completely full of people. At first i thought someone stole it because I wasn't able to locate my device at first with the ADM, which I have done with my laptop. After another try it was able to locate it, and it turned out to not be stolen.

posted on Dec 05, 2016, 3:20 AM 0

26. Konsento

Posts: 139; Member since: Apr 10, 2015

(insert "did you just assume his gender" comment here)

posted on Dec 05, 2016, 8:38 AM 0

27. dissent

Posts: 1; Member since: Dec 05, 2016

lol the girl just got lucky that the thief did not wipe the phone right after stealing it. My nexus 6 was stolen and ADM was unable to locate my phone.

posted on Dec 05, 2016, 9:01 AM 2

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