Unlocking a found hero

[medic-one]

Went to help out a collegue with computer problems earlier and noticed this HTC Hero laying on the side so asked her about it since i know she's a big Iphone 4 fan.

She stated she found it on the train a few months ago and just never got to returning it or handing it in. She gave it to me now as she can't use it as the phone asks for a pincode on start up.

It does have a memory stick which i had a look at (via my reader) but there's nothing on it to trace to owner.

If i take it to an unlock store, will they be able to reset it so it doesn't ask for a code any more ? Or is there a way to do that myself.

I've got no use for it as i've got a Desire which i'm happy with so if i can get in it i can see if i can trace the owner via the adress book. I don't think the police will be going though all that fuss i'd rather try and trace him/her myself. Any tips/help welcome.

 

[kejlyCZ]

Hi,
PIN code is just SIM card related security, so you can use the phone with another SIM card. Anyway, if you insert another SIM card, phone will ask you to enter GMail password. But it should be possible to skip this and see the contacts.

 

[nedamdam]

Am not sure, but if its bought at a carrier and not retail (luckily its branded ? or it was bought with the simcard in it) you can bring it to the carrier and let them do their magic? Atleast they can unlock the sim and maybe track down the owner of the sim. There even should be som serial on the SIM they could look up.

Here when you buy a phone I think they note the IMEI means they could know who has which IMEI too? (not sure)

 

[Xyro]

You should report the IMEI or serial number to the police. They may not be actively looking for the phone, but it may be on their system as lost/stolen. Their network (presuming they stuck with the same one they bought it from), should be able to track those two numbers too.

You could skip the SIM lock, but I don't know if you'd be able to access their files without their email address (although that's a guess, kejlyCZ might be right). If you do get stuck on the email screen, your only option would be to factory reset it. And obviously that defeats the purpose of what you're trying to do.

 

[zark]

So...... she found a phone... decided not to hand it to staff at the station, kept it for months...? Brilliant.
Give it to the police, who will hope its registered on NMPR and reunite it with owner.
Or, owner has alleged a pickpocketing, rather than report as lost. Either way, problem solved.

 

[mclemme]

The SIM-card has a serial number on it which can be tied to the owner of the number by the SIM/network operator. That's how I got my phone back when I lost it a couple of months ago.

A nice person found the phone, gave it to the lost and found office which then had a look at the SIM-card, contacted the SIM/network operator who in turn contacted me and told me that I could pick up my phone at the nearest police station

 

[homey]

You should make an effort to return it. I know it's old fashioned but it's the right thing to do...