Throughout more than a week, a woman in Singapore documented her struggle to recover her stolen iPhone 12 mini in a viral video series. Her candid updates on TikTok under the username @/urtoughcookie drew viewers into the twists of the search, from following its digital trail to questioning if office colleagues could be involved.
On 8 September, she began with a blunt update, stating that she lost her phone, “… either inside the office or near the office last Thursday.”
She suspected that someone had likely picked up her phone, but ignored her calls, and even put it on airplane mode before taking it to their house.
Despite the setback, she managed to follow the phone’s digital trail. Because the thief hadn’t fully turned it off, she could track its movement all the way to their home, noting that the person left work at 5:30 p.m., took a bus to Pasir Panjang, and then the Circle Line to Bishan.
Her determination soon escalated into a personal chase.
“I was waiting for the person today after work, and I saw it move. I chased the thief. I kept spamming the play sound button, just trying to hear it. But I couldn’t hear anything.”
As the days went on, frustration began to sink in. She couldn’t understand why anyone would take her phone, especially given its poor battery health.
Hopes Fade as Tracking Stops
By 9 September, her updates grew more concerning.
“Since last night, the phone location stopped updating. I was not able to see if this person brought the phone back to the office or not.”
She admitted the search was taking a heavy toll, leaving her feeling helpless and exhausted. Despite her frustration and visible fatigue, she pursued every possible lead, contacting her office security team to check CCTV footage.
Unfortunately, what she had assumed was a camera turned out to be an occupancy sensor, which only records textual data and not video.
She leaned heavily on viewers for advice.
“Many of you told me to go down to his block, move from floor to floor while ringing the play sound.”
But to her dismay, her screen only displayed ‘connecting,’ on loop when she clicked play.
Dead Ends and Sentimental Value
On 10 September, she confessed to fatigue, following with, “The thief hasn’t charged my phone, so I am unable to track the location anymore.”
She considered suggestions from followers, but explained the practical limits, noting that the building the person lived in had about 18 floors and over 100 units, making it impossible to check every apartment without risking trouble.
Despite her exhaustion, she emphasized why she couldn’t give up: her stolen iPhone 12 mini held significant sentimental value, including unbacked photos with friends, family, and moments from her university graduation.
For her, the phone had become more than just a device.
“I think phones are one of the most precious things you have. You’re so used to your phone, it makes it more precious for you. That’s the reason why I’ve been praying for the thief to change their mind and return it.”
A Surprise Resolution
Finally, on 19 September, the chase ended with an unexpected call. “Guys, I got my phone back. I can’t believe I actually got my phone back.”
Showing it to the camera, she described her phone as encased in a leopard print phonecase, and apart from some scratches, it was intact.
She explained how it happened:
“Yesterday I got a call from the lost and found centre in Singapore Police Force. They asked me some questions about my phone, did a verification, and once it was confirmed, I was allowed to visit the centre to collect it.”
But even with relief, she questioned why the person would not answer her calls when she just lost her phone. It surprised her that they would even go to great lengths to take it to their house and turn it off immediately, making it unreachable.
She then thanked her followers and those that reached out to her with support and ideas.
“I’ve had like more than 50 messages sharing their experiences and ideas. Thank you so much everyone for thinking about my lost phone. ”
She ended with advice, and a simple note of relief:
“I hope this series is a reminder to check your iCloud, so you don’t lose precious photos. Also, keep your belongings safe and close with you.
That’s the end of this crazy tracking the phone thief series. Happy ending.”
Watch the videos here:
@urtoughcookie
@urtoughcookie Replying to @🥠Kool Part 2 updates but don’t get your hopes up guys.. #thief #iphone #fypsg
@urtoughcookie posting this as an update since I got a lot of similar questions! 😝 #thief #iphone #lostphone
@urtoughcookie Replying to @YingYang ☯️ GUYS I GOT MY PHONE BACK OMG HAPPY ENDING #iphone #lostphone
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