Voicemail

Was my son's cell phone stolen? Or lost and then found?

Several weeks ago my son's cell phone disappeared (he is 12 and only has it for emergencies). We just moved so I thought maybe we lost it in the move somewhere. I still have tons of stuff out in our shed and thought i was in there. When I called the phone it went straight to voicemail and knew it was dead. Tried calling it several more times and decided it wasn't stolen/or lost outside our home. For whatever reason my son decided to call the number this evening and someone ANSWERED! It was a boy (sounded 15 or 16 years old) My son explained to him that it was his phone and the guy hung up. I was freaking out because I thought for sure it was around here (just lost) so I got online and checked the usage on the phone. Since Dec. 1st over 200 minutes have been used, 1160 text messages and they have used data(internet). Thanksfully most of it is covered in our plan. I looked at the call log and called a few of the frequently called numbers. All them were teenage girls and very RUDE, saying I don't know what your talking about or who this number is (when whoever has my sons phone called them five minutes before). Finall I got in touch with a girl who thought she knew who had it. After several call backs she told me she knew where it was and she get it. She just told me not to involves police and whatnot and I promised I wouldn't if I got it back tonight. Sooo after not success with getting it back from this guy (who eventually ended up at her house) she told me to have the police come because he didn't believe WE would do anything to get it and he was going to keep it. So I went to the local police department not knowing if there was anything we could do--They said there was-They called the girl then went to her house. She told him were the guy lived, they went to his house and he said he gave it to one of his BUDDIES! They search his room and everything (would i never imagined they would do!) They told him that he had 24hours to get it-- My question is, would you press charges for taking the phone and using it without your permission. It's not like he made one call. He MADE SEVERAL. To local places as well as to several different states. And how you can send that many text messages in FIVE days is beyond me! I am just afraid he won't have it tomorrow-I will have to buy a new phone, plus connect etc. Also I am sure he deleted all the messages, pictures etc. The phone is also sentimental since it was my exchange students while she was here and she had taken several pictures with it. I know there is no way to really prove he stole it but the officer said we could press chargers and se reccommends it if it's not returned. Please let me know what you think-Honestly SORRY FOR SUCH A LONG POST! Also to let you know this person who took the phone is a minor- not sure if that makes a difference to anymore. I hate that a kid would have to get in trouble for something like this but I don't understand how he could feel what he did was RIGHT or his parents for that matter. Because they know now if they didn't already The girl who helped won't. She apparently has been in some trouble before with the police (she's only 16) and she did not want to be held responsible since her phone was the most called number. I don't think she knew though it was someone elses I wanted to let everyone know who responded to this the outcome I got today-- The police officer called me about an hour. Apparently the boys mom called them back last night and they went back over there. They mom gave the police our phone in THIRTY LITTLE PIECE! You cannot believe how upset I am right now! Not only did he take my sons phone (whether he found it/stole it) use MY MINUTES, TEXT, DATA, ETC. but he destroyed it! It had some many sentimental things in it and I am so incedibly upset right now. I am going to press charges. The police also told me that this boys MOTHER said she would pay to replace the phone if we didn't PRESS CHARGES! This boy is 17 years old and knows perfectly well what he did! And to top it all off, he already has been in trouble with the law in the past! Thanks again for all your responses

Public Comments

1. if you let him off the hook he won't learn his lesson
2. press charges, he knew it was someone elses phone, and calling plan, if it wasnt your lads it would have been some other kids sounds like pickpocket or a bully, talk to your son, unless the kid just found it, and then hes just a stupid kid who will not be taught one ounce of honesty through letting it go I just hope the girl who helped you doesnt get attacked for helping you
3. definitely yes, press charges & kick his ass! He should learn a good lesson at a younger age now before he turns to be a criminal. Nobody should ever take someones belongings without their approval. No tolerance for me for this act of conduct.
4. Hi Rae, How frustrating. I'm sorry that happened to your family. You might not ever know for sure whether or not he originally found the phone or if stole the phone. The end result is the same so that should not be the determinant of whether or not you press charges for what he later did. He still knowingly USED the phone for his own personal use when he knew it was not his. He still STOLE from you, lots of minutes & texts that he had no intention of ever paying for. He still could have returned it when (and if) he found it. He made no effort to locate the real owner. He still could have returned it when you called him. He still could have returned it when his friend asked him to. He admitted he intended to keep the phone & it would be necessary to call the police for it. He still could have turned it in to the police when they showed up. All of his actions show that he chose to do none of those things that a reasonable, honest, responsible person would do. His criminal actions do represent a loss to your family. If it were me, I would press charges so maybe he will think twice before doing something like that again to someone else. It doesn't matter if the phone fell in his lap from the sky. He had no right to use it unless it was to try to contact the rightful owner. I'm wondering if the others who were accomplices in this could also be in some sort of trouble. Good luck. I hope you get the phone back & that it still has your pictures on it. julie j