Victim uses iPad app to frighten theft suspect

Trying to find a stolen iPad? As a university employee discovered this week, there's an app for that.

The employee, whose iPad was stolen Sunday in Purnell Hall, used the device's homing mechanism to frighten the suspect into returning it.

The iPad was stolen just after noon when the victim, 48, left it unattended in the basement of the building, said Maj. Joel Ivory of the university police.

After reporting the theft to police, the victim used the GPS function to track the device to Morris Library at approximately 2:45 p.m. and forced it to emit a loud noise.

IPads and some iPhones are equipped with software that, if the device is stolen or goes missing, allows the owner to log into his or her Apple account and locate the device using GPS. The owner can also lock the iPad, cause it to sound an alert or clear private data from it.

After hearing the noise, the person holding the iPad turned it into the circulation desk, stating he had found the device, Ivory said. Upon arriving at the library, the victim heard his iPad emiting a sound from the circulation desk.

The man who turned in the iPad was last seen wearing dark clothing, brown shoes and a furry hat with ear flaps. He had been seen at Purnell Hall earlier in the day, Ivory said.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact university police at (302) 831-2222.