Burglary victim uses spy app to photograph people using his stolen laptop... but police won't get it back because it's now in IRAN
When an illustrator’s laptop was
stolen from his London home, he was convinced he would be reunited with
it thanks to a secret tracking application he had installed.
But even though the software worked perfectly, his hopes were dashed when it revealed that his computer was more than 3,000 miles away in Iran.
Six weeks after Dom Del Torto’s home in Islington was burgled, his laptop began transmitting ‘spy photos’ of its new owners.
The tracking software, called Hidden
App, uses the built-in camera of a laptop to provide real-time
photographs of who is using it and their location, without their
knowledge.
The app sent Mr Del Torto images of a family out sightseeing, playing games and relaxing at their home in the Iranian capital.
The 41-year-old contacted the police to inform them his laptop, which contained personal information and work files, was in Iran – but they were unable to help.
So Mr Del Torto took matters into his own hands and set up a website called ‘Dom’s laptop is in Iran’ and uploaded the photographs of the family in a bid to trace them.
Unknown to Mr Del Torto, though, the Iranian family had bought their new laptop in Tehran unaware that it had been stolen.
Mr Del Torto said in his blog: ‘On 12th April 2013 I decided to share the data the laptop recovered on this Tumblr blog as an amusing story for my friends to enjoy.
‘It seemed to me that a laptop that went missing from London and turned up in Iran was like a space probe landing on a distant planet and beaming back proof of intelligent life.’
But his blog went viral and the laptop’s horrified new owners contacted Mr Del Torto, assuring him that they were not the thieves.
Mr Del Torto said: ‘They were very upset. I could understand why. The people shown on the blog site are not thieves … Although I still miss my laptop I do not wish ill on anyone.
‘The innocent new owners of my laptop have been in touch and are mortified about the story and are keen to return the laptop.’
Mr Del Torto has allowed the family to keep his laptop and removed their photographs from his blog.
But even though the software worked perfectly, his hopes were dashed when it revealed that his computer was more than 3,000 miles away in Iran.
Six weeks after Dom Del Torto’s home in Islington was burgled, his laptop began transmitting ‘spy photos’ of its new owners.
New owner: This woman 3,000 miles away in
Tehran, Iran, is secretly caught on the MacBook Pro's camera - but Mr
del Torto is powerless to get his laptop back
The app sent Mr Del Torto images of a family out sightseeing, playing games and relaxing at their home in the Iranian capital.
The 41-year-old contacted the police to inform them his laptop, which contained personal information and work files, was in Iran – but they were unable to help.
So Mr Del Torto took matters into his own hands and set up a website called ‘Dom’s laptop is in Iran’ and uploaded the photographs of the family in a bid to trace them.
Laptop user: The same woman uses the MacBook
which was stolen in a burglary in Islington, north London, on February
4, while another man can be seen in the background
Tracked: The woman will have no idea this picture has been taken of her by the Hidden App tracking software
Mr Del Torto said in his blog: ‘On 12th April 2013 I decided to share the data the laptop recovered on this Tumblr blog as an amusing story for my friends to enjoy.
‘It seemed to me that a laptop that went missing from London and turned up in Iran was like a space probe landing on a distant planet and beaming back proof of intelligent life.’
But his blog went viral and the laptop’s horrified new owners contacted Mr Del Torto, assuring him that they were not the thieves.
Mr Del Torto said: ‘They were very upset. I could understand why. The people shown on the blog site are not thieves … Although I still miss my laptop I do not wish ill on anyone.
‘The innocent new owners of my laptop have been in touch and are mortified about the story and are keen to return the laptop.’
Mr Del Torto has allowed the family to keep his laptop and removed their photographs from his blog.
Sightseeing: This screenshot sent back from the machine shows the family on a day out sightseeing in Iran
Tracked down: The laptop is here in Tehran but police do not have the power to get it back
