Iphone 3g stolen, culprit known

Question

Hey so a few months back my iphone 3g was stolen out of my backpack and I am about 99.9% sure who did it. No need to explain why but I have my reasons. I purchased a new iphone two days later but now I keep seeing this kid with my phone and I want to know how I can prove it is mine. If I can get campus security to let me check his phone could I prove it is mine by obtaining the serials, iccid, imei or any of that stuff? Or would that all be changed when he unlocked it? I am really angry about this and will do anything to get it back! Help please?

Answer 1

I find your statements rather interesting. First you state “If I can get campus security to let me check his phone…” Then when you chastise the person that responded, you say campus security has agreed to help. The advise he gave you was valid considering your statement.
The serial number would be on your receipt, either from Apple, or from AT&T, whichever you purchased from.
Did you make a police report when the phone was stolen? For campus security to even request for a consent to search the phone, they have to have reasonable suspicion. If they do not have that, or if the individual refuses consent, that ends that portion of it. Without consent, you would need a search warrant, and security could only get that with probable cause, even a larger burden than the reasonable suspicion mentioned earlier, and if they didn’t have that, they can’t have PC, so no warrant.
My understanding of jailbreaking, he could possibly alter the IMEI, however he should not be able to alter the serial number. And before you try and chastise me, yes, I’m aware of what I’m talking about as a 30 year veteran of law enforcement.