Watch CBS News

Cell Phone Vigilante Tracks Stolen Phone To Library, Confronts Alleged Thief

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A cell phone vigilante who had his phone stolen from his car confronted the alleged thief at an Echo Park library and took back his phone, according to a social media post.

Reddit user/u/westondeboer said he awoke on a recent day to find his car had been broken into overnight and his phone stolen.

He soon began tracking the Android phone's movement with Google's "Android Device Manager" feature.

map3
(credit: Reddit user /u/ westondeboer)

He found the thief had taken a zig-zagging path through the Eastside, ending at the Echo Park Branch Library. He considered contacting police but chose instead to take matters into his own hands and entered the library.

After a quick scan, he found a man wearing what appeared to be his earphones.

Using his laptop, the cell phone vigilante snapped a photo of the man and used the "find my phone" feature to make the phone ring.

fad
Alleged phone thief (credit: Reddit user /u/ westondeboer)

"I asked him if I could have my phone back. He resisted and I grabbed the bag my phone was in and grabbed my phone out of there," the Reddit user posted.

Asked why he didn't contact the police -- who routinely discourage citizens from confronting alleged phone thieves -- the Reddit user said he didn't think it would be a high enough priority for the cops.

"I have had a few friends who had called the police and the police did nothing about this," the Reddit user posted in the posts' comment thread. "After the whole thing was over with the librarian called the police, and they were like, 'Ehh nothing we can do about it. I am going to file a police report and see what happens with that."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.