1. mikerich22's Avatar
    Hello, I had my Key 2 stolen recently so was wondering how hard/easy is it for someone to flash the phone and reload the os?
    I have notified police and mobile carriers so they are just waiting for someone to insert a SIM card so they can track. But that will only happen if the person reloads the os as the phone is locked.
    02-11-19 05:28 AM
  2. anon(10218918)'s Avatar
    Did you use "Find My Device" with your Google account on your PC ?
    02-11-19 06:46 AM
  3. mikerich22's Avatar
    Yes I did, but by that time the phone was already switched off so that wasn't helpful. Makes you wonder why there isn't an option to password protect power off
    02-11-19 07:28 AM
  4. conite's Avatar
    Hello, I had my Key 2 stolen recently so was wondering how hard/easy is it for someone to flash the phone and reload the os?
    I have notified police and mobile carriers so they are just waiting for someone to insert a SIM card so they can track. But that will only happen if the person reloads the os as the phone is locked.
    If they flash the phone, they will need your Google credentials to start it up again.
    BigAl_BB9900 likes this.
    02-11-19 07:45 AM
  5. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    Why is this in KEYone section?


    Good luck on finding your Key2........
    02-11-19 08:41 AM
  6. Shifty88's Avatar
    Yes I did, but by that time the phone was already switched off so that wasn't helpful. Makes you wonder why there isn't an option to password protect power off
    I agree. Even Samsung has this. I was working on my girlfriend's S7 and every time I needed to reboot it I needed her password. It makes perfect sense for security reasons. I can't believe that BlackBerry Mobile still hasn't implemented this.
    02-11-19 08:43 AM
  7. Chuck Finley69's Avatar
    I agree. Even Samsung has this. I was working on my girlfriend's S7 and every time I needed to reboot it I needed her password. It makes perfect sense for security reasons. I can't believe that BlackBerry Mobile still hasn't implemented this.
    You’re saying password to power off?
    02-11-19 08:48 AM
  8. conite's Avatar
    I agree. Even Samsung has this. I was working on my girlfriend's S7 and every time I needed to reboot it I needed her password. It makes perfect sense for security reasons. I can't believe that BlackBerry Mobile still hasn't implemented this.
    It's still useless to the thief.

    If they couldn't turn it off, they'd just smash it a little earlier.
    02-11-19 09:02 AM
  9. Shifty88's Avatar
    You’re saying password to power off?
    Yeah. Holding the power button pops up a password prompt. I was amazed when I first saw it. I figured if my BlackBerry didn't have it no other phone did.
    02-11-19 09:10 AM
  10. Shifty88's Avatar
    It's still useless to the thief.

    If they couldn't turn it off, they'd just smash it a little earlier.
    Your point? At least there's a chance you could have time to trace it as opposed to them swiping it off you and shutting it off. Now they'll keep it that way until they find a buyer.
    02-11-19 09:11 AM
  11. conite's Avatar
    Your point? At least there's a chance you could have time to trace it as opposed to them swiping it off you and shutting it off. Now they'll keep it that way until they find a buyer.
    No one should go chasing after crooks anyway. That's crazy. Let them have it.

    If you just misplaced it, it would stay on.
    02-11-19 09:16 AM
  12. Shifty88's Avatar
    No one should go chasing after crooks anyway. That's crazy. Let them have it.

    If you just misplaced it, it would stay on.
    Sure, but the cops could. Your argument falls flat.

    Maybe you're a millionaire but I for one can't afford to replace my phone at the drop of a dime. I'd rather it couldn't be shut off and that I could trace it for the police in an instant. Not to mention it might prevent the theft in the first place. If the loser realized they couldn't shut it off they might just leave it somewhere for fear they'd be caught with it.
    02-11-19 09:25 AM
  13. conite's Avatar
    If the loser realized they couldn't shut it off they might just leave it somewhere for fear they'd be caught with it.
    If the loser realized they couldn't do anything with it anyway (all devices have anti-theft now), they wouldn't have stolen it in the first place. They aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.

    I don't know where you live, but police don't chase after phones here.
    02-11-19 09:27 AM
  14. bansheeboyz's Avatar
    my Samsung s6 can be powered off without password but my 2 Note 5's require the pin number to power off
    02-11-19 10:06 AM
  15. johnb_xp's Avatar
    In my experience, thieves generally stay away from my BlackBerry. Think it's not worth stealing.
    02-11-19 10:51 PM
  16. michael damian's Avatar
    Hello, I had my Key 2 stolen recently so was wondering how hard/easy is it for someone to flash the phone and reload the os?
    I have notified police and mobile carriers so they are just waiting for someone to insert a SIM card so they can track. But that will only happen if the person reloads the os as the phone is locked.
    Look,,, wen I've bought mine... I sent IMEI no to my email... if it has been stolen and at all couldn't trace it .. I can notice the company to hang up the device...
    02-11-19 10:51 PM
  17. Thunderstrom's Avatar
    In my experience, thieves generally stay away from my BlackBerry. Think it's not worth stealing.
    lol agreed only BB users like BB phone, others stick to Samsung and iphone
    02-11-19 10:57 PM
  18. BigAl_BB9900's Avatar
    If the loser realized they couldn't do anything with it anyway (all devices have anti-theft now), they wouldn't have stolen it in the first place. They aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.

    I don't know where you live, but police don't chase after phones here.
    In many European countries, the Police may not seem to chase after individual stolen mobile phones, but they do chase after crime gangs that arrange bulk shipments of stolen mobile phones. The more details of each stolen mobile phone that the Police have access to, the better the Police can chase the crime gangs doing the shipping.

    When the crime gangs are shut down, and there is therefore no longer a group offering a small amount of money for each stolen handset, then there is a reduction in handset thefts, as there is no point for the handset thieves to steal something that they cannot sell on.

    I agree that anti-theft functionality on the phones is the biggest driver in reducing handset theft (in Europe anyway, don't know about other countries), but it isn't the only driver.
    02-12-19 01:25 AM
  19. Trust_me_Im_a_linguist's Avatar
    lol agreed only BB users like BB phone, others stick to Samsung and iphone
    Who knows? Maybe the person who stole it will show up in the forums...
    02-12-19 07:33 AM
  20. brookie229's Avatar
    It's more likely that your device is being sold on E-Bay or some other market right now piece by piece.
    BigAl_BB9900 likes this.
    02-12-19 07:39 AM
  21. stevec66's Avatar
    I didn't realize there was a market for stolen BB's iPhone yes I see that, good luck in tracking it down you may have to to resort to frontier justice to retrieve it, I don't know how much help your local police will be.
    02-12-19 10:13 AM

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