iPhone XS Find My appSource: iMore

What you need to know

  • A thief took an iPhone 8 from someone who was taking photos of them on private property.
  • The thief was located using the Find My feature.
  • They managed to steal an iPhone belonging to the father-in-law of the former British Prime Minister David Cameron.

Another stolen iPhone has been returned to its owner via the magic of the Find My app, this time in Scunthorpe, UK. The iPhone was stolen after its owner used it to photograph someone who was trespassing before the thief took exception and stole it.

Amazingly, the owner of the iPhone 8 happened to be Sir Reginald Sheffield, the father-in-law of former British Prime Minister David Cameron.

According to local reports, the thief has been jailed for 18 months for his transgressions.

A robber who snatched a phone from the father of Samantha Cameron, wife of former Prime Minister David Cameron, in a struggle at his estate has been jailed for 18 months after police traced him using the 'find my iPhone' feature.

It seems the thief, Antony Wilks, didn't want to be identified by photographs that were taken of him and subsequently stole the iPhone to prevent them from being used. Ironically, taking the iPhone was exactly what caused him to be captured.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, told Grimsby Crown Court that Sir Reginald, company director of the Normanby estate, near Scunthorpe, was driving a Subaru at Flixborough Grange when he noticed people there in a VW Golf.

Wilks was a passenger in the car and there was also a trails bike. Sir Reginald took brief dashcam footage of the vehicles but Wilks approached him and opened the car door while Sir Reginald was holding the iPhone 8.

Sir Reginald moved the phone to his left hand but Wilks reached into the car and said: "I'll have your phone, ta."

Antony Wilks iPhone ThiefSource: Humberside Police

You may or may not be surprised to hear that Wilks was known to the police. Extensively.

Wilks had convictions for 32 previous offences, including assaults and thefts, and had been jailed for two-and-a-half years at York Crown Court in March last year for offences including burglary and breaching a suspended prison sentence.

Maybe now would be a good time for Wilks to reconsider his choice of vocation. Turns out he isn't very good at his current one.