Around the world in 80 days: Woman who lost iPhone in British pub finds it's in CHINA
A MUM-of-two who lost her iPhone some 80 days ago in a British pub was staggered when it was discovered nearly 6,000 MILES away – in CHINA.
Clare Kerrigan had given up all hope of finding her misplaced Apple iPhone 5C, worth more than £300, after losing it in a pub in the West Midlands, in early August.
But on Monday, Apple contacted the 38-year-old to tell her the missing mobile had been found in a nursery in China.
The Californian tech giant informed Ms Kerrigan, from Coventry, that her iPhone had been traced to the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
If I press a button on the app then I can make the phone make a noise in China which is funny
Ms Kerrigan is now able to use the Find My iPhone application to watch the movements of her lost iPhone 5C, and its new owner, more than 5,975 miles away from her family home.
As a mischievous silver lining to the theft, Ms Kerrigan said: "If I press a button on the app then I can make the phone make a noise in China which is funny."
Stolen British handsets are often shipped out to China or Africa because Apple's software makes it impossible to reactivate the devices within the UK.
Ms Kerrigan admitted: "It was lost in August. The Cedars pub in Coundon is the last place I had it.
"I had a night out with friends and we got several taxis and ended up at that pub and walked down the road.
"I either left it on the wall of the pub or in a taxi. It was a 5C so it was a bit slippy.
"I came home and fell into bed and the next day I had a look around the house and realised it was gone.
"I phoned the pub and taxi companies and local police and they all drew a blank.
"Then I got a new handset and I didn't really think about it again until Monday night when an email popped up saying it had been found.
"When it came up with Shenzhen in China I couldn't believe it."
Although travelling to China is pencilled into Ms Kerrigan's 'bucket list' of things to do in her life, she says she is not going to make the trip just for an iPhone.
Ms Kerrigan, who lives with daughter Elizabeth, six, and three-year-old son Michael, has been reassured by Apple that since her lost phone has been remotely locked, it is impossible to reactivate.
She added: "When it was lost I made sure it was wiped.
"I had a message saying I better be certain it was gone forever, as opposed to being wedged behind the sofa.
"I spoke to Apple and he said somebody has probably bought it online but the handset is useless because it is locked.
"He put my mind at rest and said there is no way it can be reactivated because I was worried about my personal details on there if it was.
"He seemed to think that it couldn't be unlocked so someone in China has my phone but can't use it.
"He laughed and said if it was him he would just watch it.
"Normally if I look on the Find My iPhone app I can see all our stuff, usually in our home.
"Now I've got another phone popping up 6,000 miles away. I couldn't believe it, I spent a lot of money on it and I'll probably never see it again."
Smartphones are extremely expensive in the Asian marketplace, helping a growing black market to flourish.
Fuelled by hundreds of stolen gadgets from Britain being shipped overseas in suitcases and fruit containers, the illegal goods are sold at discounted prices.
Asked about the latest movements of her iPhone thief – or black market customer – Ms Kerrigan laughed: "It hasn't moved too far since Monday."
