Management of communications from stolen devices

A computer server comprising an interface for connection to a communications network, a processor, and a memory, said computer server being connected to a communications network and configured to:

• a. maintain a computer data repository of data regarding reported electronic device theft events, said data repository including information regarding geographic locations of said reported theft events, and including identifiers of the devices associated with said theft events;
• b. receive information over a network from a device, said information including at least an identifier of the device and information regarding the location of the device;
• c. access the computer data repository to determine, based on the received identifier of the device, whether the device is associated with a reported theft event;
• and,
• d. when the device is determined to be associated with a reported theft event, automatically select, based on at least the information regarding the location of the reported theft event, a particular investigative entity to which to send at least said information regarding the location of the device, said step of automatically selecting performed by a machine.

A system for managing communications with stolen electronic devices comprising:

• a. a computer data repository for maintaining data regarding reported electronic device theft events, said data repository including information regarding geographic locations of said reported theft events, and including identifiers of the devices associated with said theft events;
• b. a network for receiving information from a device, said information including at least an identifier of the device and information regarding the location of the device;
• and,
• c. a computer server connected to said network and configured to access the computer data repository to determine, based on the received identifier of the device, whether the device is associated with a reported theft event and, when the device is determined to be associated with a reported theft event, automatically select, based on at least the information regarding the location of the reported theft event, a particular investigative entity to which to send at least said information regarding the location of the device, said step of automatically selecting performed by a machine.

A computer readable medium which stores program code that instructs a user computing device to perform a method that comprises:

• a. maintaining a computer data repository of data regarding reported electronic device theft events, said data repository including information regarding geographic locations of said reported theft events, and including identifiers of the devices associated with said theft events;
• b. receiving information over a network from a device, said information including at least an identifier of the device and information regarding the location of the device;
• c. accessing the computer data repository to determine, based on the received identifier of the device, whether the device is associated with a reported theft event;
• and,
• d. when the device is determined to be associated with a reported theft event, automatically selecting, based on at least the information regarding the location of the reported theft event, a particular investigative entity to which to send at least said information regarding the location of the device, said step of automatically selecting performed by a machine.