# using an old iphone as lojack?



## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

just had an idea, and did a quick search w/o seeing anything.

what if you stuck an old iphone 3g somewhere in your car, permanently wired to power, and just used the new, free, "find my iphone" feature.

added bonus, if you park in city streets, you'd have an easy car locator for your spouse.


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## arw01 (Nov 24, 2010)

You would have to have either a cell plan, or jailbreak the phone to automatically always connect to free and open wi-fi.

I suppose you could go with the absolute cheapest possible additional line, or maybe go pre-pay if you can. That would keep it active and not rack up a bill persay every single month.

Alan


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## getonerd (Jul 24, 2007)

or give me the phone lol

thats an good idea but how much lowjack cost and what if the phone crashes like mine do


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

find my phone is only free for iphone 4


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

Nope, all you need is access to an iPhone 4 first to set it up, then you can have it on a 3G/s. 

So, get a gophone sim card (att prepaid), put it in, and call it a day. Not sure if you'd need the 'data' service, perhaps...it's pretty darn cheap, esp for the minuscule amount of data you'd use to ping it. I'm liking this more and more.


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## azngotskills (Feb 24, 2006)

as soon as the battery is disconnected, then you precious idea is worthless....gonna wire another backup power supply? Too much hassle IMO and I honestly believe Lo-Jack is worthless...vehicle deterrents and initial security measures are better investments


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

azngotskills said:


> as soon as the battery is disconnected, then you precious idea is worthless....gonna wire another backup power supply? Too much hassle IMO and I honestly believe Lo-Jack is worthless...vehicle deterrents and initial security measures are better investments


welllll...there's the battery...ya know...IN the phone...


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## DMP23 (Jul 28, 2010)

Ok if you hardwire the phone charger (to constant 12 volt), so it charges the phone all the time....could that possibly wear down the car battery? 

The topic title should be called "using an old iphone as tracking unit". The police try to recover the vehicle that has a Lo Jack in it.....this isnt the case here.


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

Dmp; you could use a remote wire to only charge when car is on, if it would provide enough current. If not, include a simple relay. 

I guess technically it's not a lojack, but it's close enough, and there have been several cases of people calling the cops with "find my iPhone" locations and the cops going to get the thief. Regardless, it gets the point across.


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## t3sn4f2 (Jan 3, 2007)

OnlyShawn said:


> Nope, all you need is access to an iPhone 4 first to set it up, then you can have it on a 3G/s.
> 
> So, get a gophone sim card (att prepaid), put it in, and call it a day. Not sure if you'd need the 'data' service, perhaps...it's pretty darn cheap, esp for the minuscule amount of data you'd use to ping it. I'm liking this more and more.


Good info. thanks.


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## blazeplacid (May 19, 2008)

I havent heard of a car being taken in a long time

window bash and grab sure, but I havent heard of anyones car stolen in a long time


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## Colby Webre (Sep 2, 2010)

A car is stolen every 33 seconds.


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

I also considered putting the phone inside the sub box.


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## DMP23 (Jul 28, 2010)

OnlyShawn said:


> I also considered putting the phone inside the sub box.


Not a good idea. What if a thief breaks in your car and just steals the sub box....not the actual car? 

BTW, I used to be a Lo Jack tech.


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

Exactly. I track the most likely to be stolen item.


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## DMP23 (Jul 28, 2010)

I thought the point was to track the car?

I see your point, but I think it "could" defeat the whole purpose. Stick the Iphone up in the headliner. I dont think anyone will be looking there.


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

I'm tracking stolen items. Most likely is stereo system, so the sub-box works, unless they just unscrew the subs (depends on whether I do a 'glassed enclosure or not, I guess). If they don't steal just the stereo, they'll leave it in when they steal the car. Therefore, the phone tracks what's stolen. 

I guess even better would be getting it inside the amp.


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## Low_e_Red (Aug 23, 2008)

If its a NICE HU id prefer it there.


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## OnlyShawn (Jan 1, 2011)

Good thinking, low, but there'd never be space, methinks.


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## Low_e_Red (Aug 23, 2008)

It could be made to work. Especially if the phone is stripped down to bare essentials.


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## finalskraw (Jan 6, 2011)

Police officers will track down stolen iphones with the locator app.. 
The idea of tucking one in every commonly thefted item is an awesome but costly idea. 
I can see it now... Your setup gets jacked and its a crew and you systematically show up at each place the stuff gets split up to so you can pound them, I mean get your stuff back....


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## arw01 (Nov 24, 2010)

They make small, quite small, gps units these days. Small enough to put on miniature dogs. But you pay for the small size and then have like a $10-$20 a month fee.

Some drug companies are putting them into the crates they ship their pharmaceuticals in.


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## lucius (Oct 2, 2009)

thats a pretty cool idea


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## slpery (Jan 14, 2011)

Police Use iPhone Tracking Application To Apprehend Detroit Thieves

and

Australian police use chopper to track stolen iPhone - Neowin.net

2 stories about how this can work


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## turbo5upra (Oct 3, 2008)

When a car I built didn't have any anti theft options we tracked down the parts via Craigslist....lol....

Compustar via Iphone in the lexus FTW!


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## toomtoomvroom (May 18, 2009)

Pretty good idea, but how good will reception be?


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## Chaos (Oct 27, 2005)

Seems like using something like the Drone service from Compustar would be a more effective method of accomplishing the same thing, provided that it works well in your area. It is possible to integrate just the GPS unit itself into the car, even without a starter/alarm.


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