Tracking device in victim’s Iphone leads the police to their doorstep

Two teenagers who robbed a schoolboy of his Iphone were snared when mobile technology tracked them to their home.

Hours after the 14 and 15-year-old boys, who can not be named for legal reasons, struck on Exeter Road, Willesden, the police turned up on their doorstep.

The victim, a 14-year-old schoolboy, had installed a service called ‘find my phone’ on his mobile so his mother was able to pinpoint his stolen Iphone.

They called the police and went with them to an address in the NW2 area where the two boys were arrested and subsequently charged with robbery.

The pair were sentenced at Brent Magistrates Court with the 14-year-old handed down an 18-month youth rehabilitation supervision order, 20 hour residential exercise and a two month curfew.

The 15-year-old boy was given a nine month referral order along with �50 compensation towards the victim.

DI Barry Loader from Brent Police said: “It was thanks to this family’s own quick thinking that we were able to solve this crime and get the stolen phone back.

“There are other similar services available on the market for Iphones and other smartphones. Some of these are ready to use on the phone handset itself and others can be downloaded as an app.

“If you use one of these services and you are unlucky and a phone is stolen, tell the police that you can track your phone or your child’s phone.”

He added that mobile phone owners should keep a record of the phone’s

IMEI number.

This can be done for free by visiting www.immobilise.com.