Article: iPhone Cydia App 'iGotYa' Catches iPhone Thief

**Anthony Bouchard** · 10-09-2011, 11:10 AM

iGotYa... HAHA.

Need another reason for why Jailbreaking your iPhone is worth it? Maybe this is a good reason to jot down on your list.

Cydia's 'iGotYa' app, which sells for $5.99, helped 31-year-old Erum Malik, a mother of four from Queens New York, re-obtain her stolen iPhone and catch the culprit responsible for the inconvenient incident. It's an alternative to Apple's Find My iPhone app, which is free in the App Store but offers limited functionality; it shows the user's approximate location on a map but, unlike iGotYa, it will not take a photo of the thief.

iGotYa, a security application for your iPhone 4, does two major things. First, if your iPhone has a pass-code and the pass-code is entered incorrectly, it will take a front-facing-camera-photo of the person who entered the incorrect pass-code. In addition to that, it will send the picture it took along with the current GPS location of the iPhone, to the email of the true owner. This gave the Queens mother everything she needed to know about the thief in order to call authorities - since she recognized the man as the person who had gotten into a scruff with her and took her iPhone.

Brian Chattoo, 23, was captured Friday at his home in Richmond Hill - the suspect who's picture was taken using the iGotYa application. According to police, he snagged the iPhone from Malik's pocket in the middle of a scruff. The man was described by police as Hispanic, in his 20s and about 5'8" with short, dark hair and an earring in his left ear.

Malik, rushed around her neighborhood to see if anyone had recognized the man; using the GPS location and photo as a reference. Malik said that she didn't want the man to get into trouble, all she wanted was her phone back. She called the iPhone many times after it was stolen only to find that the iPhone had been switched off. She sent numerous text messages to it, one being that she would offer $200 for its safe return. Despite Malik wishing that the thief would not be charged and that she could just get her phone back, it turns out that the thief of the iPhone was recognized by police from a wanted poster due to grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. He was arrested on Friday. Local police warn that you should never cancel your service of a phone right as it is stolen, so that they can accurately track it down.

To me, this seems like an excellent reason to Jailbreak your iPhone 4. You can rarely do anything without a picture of the suspect.

So what do you think? Is iGotYa a useful app or what? Share below!

Sources: NYDailyNews, CBS New York

**Mlitz69** · 10-09-2011, 11:22 AM

That's cool

**jerthepyouts** · 10-09-2011, 11:29 AM

The free app "BigBrother" on the AppStore does exactly the same thing. It exists for a very long time and I'm sure it's even better than the cydia one.

**Anthony Bouchard** · 10-09-2011, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by jerthepyouts

The free app "BigBrother" on the AppStore does exactly the same thing. It exists for a very long time and I'm sure it's even better than the cydia one.

Am I doing it wrong?

**Yakk** · 10-09-2011, 11:54 AM

^ lol win

**zplit** · 10-09-2011, 11:57 AM

Originally Posted by jerthepyouts

The free app "BigBrother" on the AppStore does exactly the same thing. It exists for a very long time and I'm sure it's even better than the cydia one.

What makes you think is better than the one on cydia?

Great app and news thank you sir.

**drog92** · 10-09-2011, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by Anthony Bouchard

Am I doing it wrong?

o, you are doing it right.... that bear will hug the theif to death if it can take a picture

**one_crazy_dude** · 10-09-2011, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by drog92

o, you are doing it right.... that bear will hug the theif to death if it can take a picture

That's funny

**Dragon M.** · 10-09-2011, 12:21 PM

Originally Posted by jerthepyouts

The free app "BigBrother" on the AppStore does exactly the same thing. It exists for a very long time and I'm sure it's even better than the cydia one.

Apple Bans App That Was Storing iPhone Passcodes - Business Insider

**ois** · 10-09-2011, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by Dragon M.

Apple Bans App That Was Storing iPhone Passcodes - Business Insider

Agreed. Here is another article on the Big Brother App.

http://m.cnet.com/Article.rbml?nid=2...bcid=&bid=-248

**JacquesChirac** · 10-09-2011, 12:29 PM

Device Locator is better.

**mmaboi21** · 10-09-2011, 12:33 PM

Lol that is awesome! Nice what a little jailbreak can doo.

**LSZ33** · 10-09-2011, 12:34 PM

it would be great if Apple added those features to the "Find my iPhone" app.

**ChSchuldiner** · 10-09-2011, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by LSZ33

it would be great if Apple added those features to the "Find my iPhone" app.

Then the FANDROID population would make fun of Apple for taking pictures of their users.

**Pepsolman** · 10-09-2011, 12:41 PM

"Bad boys bad boys. Whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when dey come for you?"

**bstunt10190** · 10-09-2011, 12:53 PM

kind of looks like he was posing for the pic

**homing** · 10-09-2011, 01:07 PM

I've dropped my phone in the street, downtown montreal last year. When i came back home i've opened my email box , and i had 6 images of the guy that found my phone. Not expecting anything, i've put few pictures on facebook asking if anybody knew that guy (There's 2 millions people living in montreal, so...) 20 minutes later, an old facebook acquaintance (the kind of friend you forgot you've added) Contacted me : "I know that guy, i've called him. He's got your phone . Here is his number" Wow ! So i met the guy and got my iphone back ! Thanks IgotYa !

**emerica6708** · 10-09-2011, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by homing

I've dropped my phone in the street, downtown montreal last year. When i came back home i've opened my email box , and i had 6 images of the guy that found my phone. Not expecting anything, i've put few pictures on facebook asking if anybody knew that guy (There's 2 millions people living in montreal, so...) 20 minutes later, an old facebook acquaintance (the kind of friend you forgot you've added) Contacted me : "I know that guy, i've called him. He's got your phone . Here is his number" Wow ! So i met the guy and got my iphone back ! Thanks IgotYa !

Wow, that's cool. I didn't know igotya had been out that long though.

**jerthepyouts** · 10-09-2011, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by zplit

What makes you think is better than the one on cydia?

Great app and news thank you sir.

Because Appstore is obviously way more "well done" then cydia.
Cydia is WAY more usefull, but AppStore is more "well done".

Originally Posted by Dragon M.

Apple Bans App That Was Storing iPhone Passcodes - Business Insider

That article says that the app they bann is big brother?

**maddawg05** · 10-09-2011, 01:29 PM

Bet if you didn't have pics of him he prob would have kept it. All u gotta do is put your finger over the camera (just saying) but great app still.

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iGotYa... HAHA. Need another reason for why Jailbreaking your iPhone is worth it? Maybe this is a good reason to jot down on your list. Cydia's 'iGotYa' app, which sells