How to catch an iPhone thief

http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/2830319467/

Anyone who's ever had anything stolen and had the feeling of impotence and vulnerability that comes with being burglarized or robbed, has probably entertained vigilante fantasies. Maybe those fantasies run more in the vein of Uma Thurman's character in Kill Bill, with the rad clothes and ninja moves, but most of us would settle for this guy's story.

Mr. Sam, as he calls himself on his blog, was flying home from Cabo to Los Angeles last week and allegedly had his iPhone picked up by a seatmate when it fell out of his pocket. Armed with MobileMe, Google, and a landline (and fueled by righteous indignation), this Angelino tracked his iPhone up and down California, finally pinning the alleged perpetrator in Lodi and recovering his beloved phone on Saturday. 

I'm not sure about some of the side conclusions he draws about family relationships and motivations, but his quest certainly reveals a lot about the state of online privacy, the awesome powers of the iPhone, and the satisfaction of violence-free butt-kicking.