Contacting the Authorities

• 1). Report the theft to the police department of the community where the theft occurred.
  
  
• 2). Report the theft to the cell phone provider. They will cancel the phone's number.
  
  
• 3). If the device is being used with a new SIM card, insist that the provider find out what account is using your phone and ask a judge for an order to disclose this.
  
  
• 4). If the provider refuses to try to trace the stolen phone, publicize the cell phone company's refusal to track the cell's IMEI number. (Cell phone providers actually make money when customers must replace stolen cell phones while the thief continues to use, and pay for, the old one.)
  
  
• 5). Threaten the cell phone provider with a suit for liability or condoning theft.
  
  
• 6). If the cell phone is important and switching numbers would cause significant distress or financial loss, try ringing the number in the first hours after the theft and offering a reward to the thief for "finding" the "lost" cell phone.