Smartphone outsmarts thief

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Who knew Carly Rae Jepsen would actually help someone get the phone call they'd been wanting.

Cathy Dee was downtown Friday celebrating her company's 100th anniversary.  After dinner at the Convention Center, she realized her phone was missing.

"I'm mad at myself," Dee said. "I'm disappointed they took it. I understand the temptation, but I just want my phone back."

Dee went home hoping someone would call with good news, but that call never came. Instead, she found her answer online. Dee backs up all of her phone pictures using an app, Dropbox, which allows users to view photos online.

"When I sat down at my computer Monday morning, I got a notification photos had been uploaded, and I know I hadn't taken photos all weekend," Dee said.

The person who stole her phone uploaded pictures throughout the weekend and as recently as yesterday.
So, Dee used her experience as a social media editor to get the word out, even creating a song to the popular hit "Call me Maybe" to find her phone.  

"I put the pictures out there," Dee said. "I tweeted them, I Facebooked them and just put the word out that here's who has my phone, does anyone know them, I just want it back."

The Hilton Fort Wayne at the Grand Wayne Convention Center had a temporary agency working the event that night. The hotel general manager was able to track down the person working for the agency who had taken the phone.

NewsChannel 15's Eryn Rogers reached out to the Hilton but didn't get a response.

"But, still my phone's out there, and that makes me uncomfortable, and I would really like to have it back in my empty smart phone hands" Dee said.

And to whomever has her phone, Dee sends this message:

"You've got my cell phone, but I've got pictures of your baby so call me maybe," Dee said.

Dee says she has gotten a good deal of responses from people saying they recognize the people in the pictures. She should find out Wednesday if the theif will return her phone or not, but if he doesn't, she will be compensated for another one.