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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Found a phone in my garden - isolated property - shit scared

791 replies

ScarredBunny · 24/04/2020 19:12

Name changed for this - Sorry if this seem trivial, I know people are dealing with far bigger things at the moment.

I found a phone lying on the ground, about 5 yards from my house.

We live in an isolated property about a mile away from the first road. We have not have any visitors , maintenance people for many weeks (obviously). Delivery drivers, yes, but they would not have any reason to go to this part of the garden/couldn't access it during daytime without us seeing something.
At first I assumed it belonged to one of us, but no! Confused
Phoned the police, have a ref./case number, etc. but they're busy and will get back to us when they can.
The police said to take the phone indoors and wait for their call/visit.

I am worried that the next visit is going to be from whomever the phone belongs to.
The phone is dead as a dodo but I assume it still can be found?

What should do?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1 · 25/04/2020 01:20

OP sorry you've been frightened by this but I also wondered why you happened to have a spare charger for a phone that's out of your league?

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 01:30

@Senetti, interesting that you are ex-officer. There were other questions. I found them a little too...pointy and didn't want to give details of layout, sequence of events, etc. still don't, sorry.
Let's just say that you wouldn't be in that precise location near the house if your intents were straightforward, you just wouldn't come by that way, or end up there.
Yes to bungling amateur for dropping/losing their phone but you don't have to be a genius to be a criminal.It's very odd that it was left there as surely they were using it as a torch?
Peeping Tom a possibility. How do you put them off?

OP posts:
ItsGoingTibiaK · 25/04/2020 01:32

@Angellegna @notsuchasmugmarriednow1

Apple introduced the Lightning port 8 years ago with the iPhone 5. They’re now on the iPhone 11. It’s pretty conceivable that someone has some model of iPhone but can’t afford the latest one. The Lightning cable also fits iPads other than the latest iPad Pro models. Again, perfectly conceivable that the family has an iPad.

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 01:33

For goodness sake an apple charger can charge any iphone as far as i know. I have an ancient iphone 5, our other phones are also iphones, second end, bottom of the range, happy?

OP posts:
LilacTree1 · 25/04/2020 01:35

OP I was just about to say that about iPhone!

LilacTree1 · 25/04/2020 01:37

PS I’d have thought peeping Tom unlikely, given your location.

Is it possible someone fancied a wander during lockdown? Is it obvious they’re crossing on to private property?

Now the police have got the phone, I’d try not to worry, though I know it’s easily said than done.

tumpymummy · 25/04/2020 01:38

Place marking. Hope you get some sleep tonight and do not worry.

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 01:40

@Angelegna yes, that's right. Maybe you can tell me what it is that's going on then?

OP posts:
fallfallfall · 25/04/2020 01:46

Foxes carry items all over, certainly 1mile or more. Where I use to live they packed shoes all over the place and particularly liked golf balls. Another idea is a flight path. Phone flushed down an airplane toilet...as those things then spray to the ground below.

Geepipe · 25/04/2020 01:48

Do you live near any woods op? No reason im asking that would just make it spookier.

c0ffeeandcake · 25/04/2020 01:48

Shameless place marking

PutYourBackIntoit · 25/04/2020 02:01

Weird. Hope the police put you out if your misery.

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 02:02

@VanGoghsDog you can charge a phone when it is in an aga when there is a plug near the aga: plug charger in the plug, plug the phone to the charger, put phone in aga, close door.

@serilavrov Thank you so much for your post. So many good suggestions for someone who's just realised their little corner of paradise is actually quite a vulnerable place. It sounds like a lot of hard work at first, but I suppose that after a while you get into the habit of observing your environment and being alert.
I thought we would be more of a target now, since built up areas' houses are full 24/7, and surely the proportional risk of being caught/running into trouble is less in an isolated place?

@Greenlynx, thanks, I really hope too.
You wouldn't come to our house. to get to another house, anyway you look at it, you are out of your way if you are anywhere near our hous.

OP posts:
kingofkings · 25/04/2020 02:03

I have an iphone . Haven't a clue whether it can be located.

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 02:15

@Geepipe Yes! there is a wood. Very close.

DH said not to worry and nothing will happen, he is an eternal optimist. It's already happened in a way. How weird to think that if they hadn't left their phone behind we would have never known they were here.
At least we have the dog to warn us and if it was bad I think he would actually defend. I also have DH old golf club with me.Grin
Going forward there are a lot of things we need to do to look be a little less of an easy prey.

OP posts:
Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 02:20

@kingofkings I've never felt the need to locate my phone, it's here.

OP posts:
Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 02:49

Just a remark about the phones, I don't think you have to have the most expensive phone that you can afford, maybe that's just me. We still pay for DCs phones, so they have whatever does the job, one DC has a big iphone - see how conversant I am - they bought it second hand from a friend who was upgrading. We have no phone shame whatsoever.

Also for those suspecting this was a secret phone, would you want the police involved if it was your secret phone,? DCs and DH were saying it was the only thing to do . DH pointed out that if that phone was reported stolen it wouldn't be great to have the Police turning up and asking why we hadn't reported it found.

I don't expect much info about all this from the Police, I'm sure they have bigger fishes to fry, but I would be very curious to know FFS who it belongs to.

OP posts:
SnipSnapPop · 25/04/2020 02:49

I feel you OP, I live remotely like you and under the same circumstances I would be worried.

However we used to have dogs that would bring random stuff home, including neighbours shoes (neighbours being the closest house, 2miles away) - possibly / hopefully something like that xx

Phphion · 25/04/2020 02:50

It's strange that it was found so near to your house. Perhaps it was stolen and dropped by someone on their way to the wood to hide it.

I grew up in a remote farming area and people would quite frequently find stolen property hidden in woodland and inaccessible parts of their farmland but never actually near their buildings. Over the years people found jewellery, savings books and just random possessions from burglaries well over 30 miles away, hidden in woods, hedges, streams far from any road. Once someone found a live dog more than 50 miles from where it had been stolen.

amitoooldforthisshit · 25/04/2020 02:55

Seems like some car thieves are on the prowl, probably hovering a scanner around trying to pick up a key fob signal to unlock a car.
do you have keyless entry cars on your property? there may have been a group if it was a lone wolf it be less likely that the phone would have been dropped..did you check it to see what network the sim card was?

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 03:19

@fallfallfall maybe slightly possible. Haven't seen a plane in weeks though and it would have been a bit smashed, no?

@LilacTree1 I would have though peeping Tom unlikely too, and used to act accordingly Blush, but who knows? No way a phone can end up there, where it was, if just crossing the property.

I really hope it's a fox, a bird, a drone or a paraglider Grin, especially a paraglider.

Thank you all for holding my hand a little bit, I was a scared rabbit tonight. I expect things are going to feel a little different from now on. The funny thing is, visitors always comment on how remote we are and how slightly freaked out they would be here on their own but I've never felt that way. I always thought that people had to know we are here to come here and that made us safer. And that we would hear if someone trespassed. Well we certainly didn't hear anything this time.
It has been quite comforting to talk to all of you and that's all I could do to feel better about it all so thank you.

OP posts:
Thepigeonsarecoming · 25/04/2020 03:28

OP I don’t blame you for being a bit scared, I would be too in your situation. I would suggest you google about foxes stealing phones though, some funny stories and videos. I really hope it’s something as simple as that

Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 03:35

@Phphion, that's quite fascinating. Saving books!Why? Burglarised stuff hidden until it's not so hot and can be used/sold?
Not possible to have been dropped 'on the way' to anywhere, I can't explain without details I don't want to give Sad.

@amitoooldforthisshit Steady on! one is enough!Grin What are you doing to me? But no, no fancy keyless entry cars here.

OP posts:
Original poster
ScarredBunny · 25/04/2020 03:40

@Thepigeonsarecoming fun! Do you know if foxes wander randomly to new places, or if signs can be found that indicate that a fox is coming to a place?

OP posts:
1066vegan · 25/04/2020 03:44

It's horrible when somewhere that should be your safe space, suddenly doesn't feel so invulnerable after all. No wonder you've been shaken by this.

Although a useless wannabe burglar, could have been checking the place out and dropped their phone, it did seem a bit odd that you didn't hear a car.

A couple of posters mentioned foxes. We've had shoes taken by foxes before now and also had random objects left in the garden by foxes.
This is a funny little video that shows some of them will take a fancy to phones. www.boredpanda.com/fox-steals-phone-saveafox-rescue/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

You must have lots of foxes around if you live rurally. I think that's the most likely explanation (and the most reassuring one).