Garuda Indonesia Crew Accused Of Stealing iPhone, Dumping It In River

Seems like complicated logistics: is the crew still in Melbourne? Was a replacement crew flown in? Are they pilots also suspended?

Will Garuda replace the iPhone?

If the station manager is that cooperative, why can't the passenger play a sound from his device.

Mmmmh…Mr. Tjendara, maybe not too smart to post your frequent flyer and ticket number.

I just remember when Carsten Spohr left his „used“ boarding pass somewhere and some „hackers“ got his private information, e.g. cell phone number.

Now AeroB13a would be bragging how great the iPhones are.

The question is, why are you acting like you're the one who developed it.
Imagine being proud of having a phone that everybody else has.

Apart from the phone, the hotel breached privacy as they should not divulge who is staying there. Posting your boarding pass is also a stupid move as scammers can take all kinds of info and use it for nefarious activities. I assume the crew was suspended once back in Indonesia. They could hardly abandon them in Melbourne

This is such a bizarre story that it just has to be true! Had me amused the entire way. Especially with the, frankly, dumb decisions that led to all of it.

But, I must say: that title is awesome clickbait. A crew - from Garuda - allegedly steals a pax phone.....then it ends up in a river! Can't make this stuff up. Most entertaining.

The hotel did not breach privacy. The station manager is a representative of the company that has a contract for accommodation with the property. He did not ask about any other guest. He asked about employees of his company who were travelling on company business.

I want to add: Indonesian social media was abuzz with people expressing incredulity at how this was handled. A few were quick to mention contrasting experiences about how Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Emirates would either actively inform them that they had left something behind, or were proactive enough to deliver lost/forgotten goods to a designated address.

The other day I was just talking about how GA crew members are the last good thing about an airline going through an identity crisis. I'm terribly sorry that one crew member could cause this much anguish for his/her colleagues, not to mention the Garuda brand in a time they so desperately need people to actively choose them. In a free market though with plenty of options, though, customer service often determines the winner. Singapore Airlines chose wisely with their Indonesian banking partner, who also got ahead by offering standard-defining customer service experience.

Now, this begs the question: What would the insurance claim process of this look like?

I wonder what good a locked iPhone would benefit a thief. I mean my 16Pro won't unlock for anyone but me.
Am I missing something ? not having a criminal mind (at least that I am aware of.... )

Presumably it can be dismantled and some parts sold off.

I'm certainly not remotely defending the perpetrator(s)
, but curious as to the legalities of a search of the 'supects' rooms ? I wonder if even a probable cause search warrant would have been required if this was in the USA, if not Australia. Or maybe the crew gave consent to such activity. Could the fact that Garuda is paying for the accommodation influence their 'rights' for access ?
Also, I"d like to know how the hotel knew that any other non-crew guests did not arrive off the same Garuda flight. Also, curious to know the final outcome, if no one 'squeals', 'snitches' or confesses ! Will the whole crew continue to be disciplined ? Talk about corporal punishment based only on circumstantial evidence !

Australian hotel security can't just barge into your room and demand to conduct a search, no. Likewise police need a warrant, permission, or "probable cause" to conduct a search. It's very unlikely that Victoria Police would have wasted their resources getting warrant for simultaneous raids on a dozen hotel rooms for the sake of one stolen iPhone.

Truth is often stranger than fiction!

Seems pretty simple at this point.
Separate the crew.
Who was where? Find the person or group near the river.
Amnesty for everyone but the thief... if they come forward.
If they lie or coverup for the thief, fired.
Fire and arrest the theif.

The phones are stolen and then sold to professional criminal enterprises. Its extremely easy for them to them to unlock the phone. If the data is wiped then they sell the whole phone, sell for parts, or ship them to Africa where IMEI blocking doesn't work.

The phones are stolen and then sold to professional criminal enterprises. Its extremely easy for them to them to unlock the phone. If the data is wiped then they sell the whole phone, sell for parts, or ship them to Africa where IMEI blocking doesn't work.

Or if not an African nation, Russia or China.

And then there's the case of the baggage handler who illegally parked in front of a Starbucks. The outrage.

The tracking still works when the phone is submerged in river water?? Could it have been on a boat perhaps?

EzeePeeZee !
Interrogate the crew after sensory depravation... Torture as necessary... Non-compliance will result in being thrown in the same river as where the phone is located !
Case closed !
...lol

Kindly elaborate to enlighten my ignorance, if you please ?
Another 'wayward' airline employee ?

Why did he have it stolen?

The following is a quote from the posted article.
"I’d have to think that crew members at least have a suspicion, based on how different people were reacting to these accusations."
Please excuse me but I might be the one to be labeled as the thief based on nervous behavior although I was in the USA all along. There is a Seinfeld episode with George being accused of theft in a somewhat similar situation.

While probably accurate in theory the phone's location can be spooked. There are free apps that can be downloaded which essentially trick your phone into thinking it is elsewhere. The legit use of this is for developers who are testing and coding. A not so legit use is when I'm traveling but want access to YouTube TV or other services which only work in my home geography.

Dude was in economy. Was it too hard to put his phone in his pocket or was he trying to flaunt it? At most he had abit of recline so not lying flat on his side.

Even in business class when i go to sleep i put my phone and passport in my pocket.

So i guess that the phone is now swimming with the fishes in the Yarra River?

Apple should make Ethan Hunt edition of iPhone, should you choose to accept it, will self destruct in 5 seconds.

Simple, the Station manager.
All rooms occupied by employees are rented out by the company.

People need to understand when you work for the company, they own the privacy not the employees.

Don't know about baggage handles but police officers illegally parked all the time everywhere. Especially when there is no reason to park there except it's convenient for the officers.

I understand if they're doing some investigations or public safety reasons.
Getting coffee is not an official business.

Tell me you have no idea what you're talking about just by talking.

Such odd comments.

I agree kudos to Garuda being proactive.

Also impressed by how the pax researched the location of the device. There are many foot and auto/with sidewalks across the Yarra; it would easy to dump it. I've dropped iPhone into water and it still worked...once dropped it into a lake in Texas, and somehow still found it working.

As for the hotel, this is where the comments get idiotic.

Yes, breach of privacy.

Second, has anyone ever been on a business trip or attended a conference paid by a 2nd or 3rd party? It's just feeble-minded to think a 3rd party, even if they paid for the room would be able to invade privacy. Only authorities or hotel management could do so with reasonable cause...an iPhone is not reasonable cause, especially with no documentation against each member of the crew.

What you do on the employers property is different, even the parking lot. Then it's all fair game...

Yippee ! .... It's donut time !!

How about "Tiny Bubbles" ? ...lol

Please REMOVE hotel name from article. Please respect crew security and privacy

What a stupid idea not to search the entire Garuda's crew's hotel room when you are actually knows that the phone was still in the area. That was a ridiculous decision not to do that. If you searched the whole Garuda's crews hotel room, i can rest assured you will find it and you won't lose your 100 years memories in your LOL.
At the same time, you caught the culprit, win win situation- easy peasy japanese.
no same on Garuda.. you get your phone, internal investigation can be done internally.

I scanned the PDF417 code using a barcode scanner, and I can access his booking details, PNR, personal phone number, email, how much he paid for the ticket, and his further trips (not yet flown). So scary. People shouldn't post and flex their boarding passes in social media uncensored.

Just wondering, Can he actually request to change his PNR code to the airline that he accidentally share it with everyone around the world?

Crew hotel info is hardly private ( as is anyone's personal info these days, sadly ! )

I've read his post. Unfortunately it seem like 99.99% chance the thief is a cabin crew. Garuda Indonesia also didn't do a through out check in the hotel. They actually gave time for the cabin crew to smuggle the phone out of the hotel, hide it next to the river and threw the phone in the river later. I guess the thief was scared when he/she found out that the phonee owner isn't giving up.
GI will absolutely not admit that their cabin crew stole the phone. GI know that they are on the losing side if this case is being processed in Australia so right now they are getting Indonesia police to "investigate" the case. Which we all know it means they bribed indonesian police, the victim will become perpetrator and garuda will turn into victim during the investigation from indonesia police.
I don't want to jinx it but this will be an uphill battle for him. Good Luck.