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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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Act Fast on a Stolen Cell Phone

by tacogirl 24/09/2016
written by tacogirl 24/09/2016
Cell Phone in Belize

As many of you know, Monday night the unthinkable happened and my phone was stolen out of my bag. It went down so fast it made my head spin. I was walking on the north on the west side of back street and right at the parking lot between the Artists Market and San Pedro House of Culture.

I did not have my cell phone out at all and I had my music player in my hand so my arm was up and mostly covering my bag. Along came Evil Houdini riding his bike at a good clip. While passing me from the front, he somehow managed to reach in my bag without slowing down or even touching me – that part is still baffling. The only reason I knew something happened was that my strap is adjustable and so his motion knocked one part of the strap off my shoulder and my bag dropped lower, it was also fully open compared to partly before. I spun around and he was already gone.

I was not scared or shaken, this is because I had already survived a bicycle thief trying to do a snatch and grab. You can read about it in Romance to Reality and my showdown with a robber. That time I was definitely shaken up and my friends saw it as soon as I reached Crazy Canucks minutes later. This time around had the thief been 5 seconds slower I would have pushed him over hard because there were people around and I felt safe.

I was definitely bummed out though, my $700 Nexus 6p 128 gb phone was less than 6 months old, a replacement for my 32gb Nexus 5x that had died. Having recently witnessed how well my friend Aimee weathered the storm of her phone going missing in Mexico inspired me to suck it up.

If Your Cell Phone Gets Stolen Act Fast

Here is what to do for a stolen cell phone in Belize and more specifically on Ambergris Caye. Some of the tips will work anywhere. In my case it happened in the blink of an eye so I really did not get any details of the guy or even his bike color.

  • I went to the police immediately and made a report. They were very nice and even let me use their phone to call BTL and immediately stop my sim card.
  • Next I came home and changed my gmail password so my email and google drive are inaccessible. Then I changed Facebook which also logged me off of messenger.
  • After that I started researching tracking a stolen Android phone (see info and links below)

Other Places To Report Your Phone Missing

While it may be a long shot to get your phone back there are 6 places in town 5 of which unlock or sell used phones. So there is a chance someone will try to get it unlocked here if the rat bastard crook does not take it off the island to sell it.

  • Extreme Geeks on Middle Street. I stopped there to report my phone on the way to the Police station.
  • Sea Turtle on Middle Street. Went there the next day with my info.
  • Sherz store on Back Street. I contacted her on FB messenger soon as I got home from the police. She was the first to ask me for the IMEI serial number.
  • C’s Phones on Back Street. They verified that changing my passwords would block anyone from my apps once phone got unlocked.
  • Island Movie does not unlock or buy any used cell phones.
  • 3 Brothers Pawn Shop on Pelican Street. It is a given crooks may try to unload a stolen phone at a pawn shop.

The day after, I wrote all my information down on paper and walked over to Gecko Graphics to print copies. I walked to each of the places above and handed them a copy. In addition to the IMEI, they can verify my phone unlocked by swipe and my fingerprints. I told them all if my phone turns up please stall the person and call the police. I would have said rat bastard but I am guessing the thief would have sold it locked to some unsuspecting person.

If you do not know where you IMEI number is do yourself a favor, find it now and put it in a safe place in case you need it. As a further backup, email yourself a copy that way you have access to it no matter where you are.

Tracking a Stolen Android Phone

Use Android Device Manager from your laptop to try and find the location of your phone. Unfortunately it did not pick up my phone, although it did show it was last synced 1 hour ago. According to one page I read I may have screwed myself a bit as my thought process was in protection mode and I changed my passwords immediately, when I should have tried to track it first. Although upon further reading I have found android cell tracking is hit or miss so I cannot worry about it.

I was able to hit an erase button and that will do a factory reset button as soon as my phone is turned on and unlocked. I hesitated for a second in doing this and then my brain kicked in to reality. On the odd chance I get my phone back what is the big deal of a few missing apps and pictures when I just lost my whole phone? – Silly me.

In further reading I learned that Android Device Manager was mainly designed as a way to stop your data from getting stolen by remotely wiping the phone.

I also learned that there is a ring option in device manager in case you loose your phone at home. Pushing it will make your device ring at full volume for 5 minutes. Of course I did that consecutively for about 1/2 hour and hopefully I pissed off the thief with a bit of nonstop ringing phone action 😀

Remotely Ring, Lock, or Erase a Lost Android Device

Here are a few good links I found in my research, some are for tracking a lost or stolen android phone and some are for beefing up your protection in advance.

Android Authority has a good write up on How to find a lost or stolen android phone. It gives good advice for beefing up your protection.

Since I had a few pages open I decided to see what other useful advice there was to share with people reading this post.

If you or a friend lose a device that is signed in to a Google Account, you can use Android Device Manager to Remotely ring, lock, or erase a lost device that device.

PC World tells you how to Protect your Android phone from loss or theft. This page gives more information on preventive measures to set your phone up in case the unthinkable happens and it gets stolen.

Advanced sign-in security for your Google account. Learn how to set 2-step verification. This makes it harder for thieves as it requires two independent factors for authentication, much like you might see on your banking website: your password, plus a code obtained using your phone.

Lets you remotely track, lock, and erase the data on a lost or stolen phone. It’s one of those services that you wish you’d never have to use, but you should set it up just in case. It never hurts to be prepared. Find your phone: the ultimate guide to Android Device Manager.

There are a few ways to remote control and track your phone even if you haven’t installed a recovery app before it vanished.How To Track Your Lost Android Phone Without Installed Tracking App.

This anti-theft feature makes it basically impossible for a thief to use your Nexus phone in the event it is stolen and wiped. [Guide] What Is Android 5.1’s Anti-Theft “Device Protection” Feature And How Do I Use It?

Featured image at top of page courtesy of cbsistatic.

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tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

THE ORIGINAL BELIZE BLOG

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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