Why Visit Shanghai Again? The Story of a Stolen Ipad

To understand one of reasons I started this trip with another visit to Shanghai -- I need to tell the story of an iPad stolen by a US Postal employee -- but to tell the story, I need to tell you about my good friend, Chinese citizen - Andy.

When preparing for my first trip to China in 2009, a friend told me his dad had taught in China -- and assisted one of his best students (Andy) to be able to continue his education at Portland State University (PSU).  This friend (and his wife and dad) introduced me to the student over a fun Chinese lunch in Portland's International District.  Thereafter I sought out opportunities to have Andy meet my family over more fun meals -- and another friendship grew.

The highlight of my October 2013 trip to China was staying with Andy and traveling with him to his girlfriend's home town (Wenzhou, a 4+ hour train ride south of Shanghai) and getting to know her family. The highlight of my September 2015 trip to China was visiting Andy's parents in their rural village.

Now to the stolen iPad -- when Andy was in the US, in May 2012 he mailed a $700 iPad through the US Mail to China -- and following some bum advice -- he did not insure it.  When the empty package was delivered in China, the iPad was missing.  Andy astutely observed that the package slit had been covered with US Postal "express mail" taping -- and he took his suspicions that the theft occurred in the US Postal system first to the local Portland police, then the local US Postal Inspectors.  In a relatively short time, Apple provided the Postal Inspectors the identification of the Apple ID holder who registered the iPad and followed its trail to its purchase from a US Postal bulk mail handler in the San Jose, CA area. The Postal Inspectors seized the iPad in April 2013 and were holding it, refusing to give it back to Andy until the case against the bulk mail handler was settled.

​​During my September 2013 trip, Andy first told me about the stolen iPad and sought advice in trying to get it returned. I expressed some misplaced confidence in my ability to spring the iPad loose from the Postal Inspectors. That confidence quickly got dashed by a very discourteous Assistant Special Agent in Charge (Janet Roberson) of the Postal Inspection Service's Oakland office.  Not only did she officiously refuse to meet with me to even discuss the matter, she even threatened Andy that the case would be dismissed if he insisted on the return of the iPad.  And my efforts with the Postal Inspector's Counsel's Office were also rebuffed. 

So the iPad was retained by the Postal Inspectors for 3 1/2 years until the case was finally resolved with a plea deal. The thief, through his attorney, attempted to be keep the iPad in return for monetary restitution and it became unclear whether he would pay restitution in lump sum or in a trickle of little payments. So, again I got involved, this time with the Santa Clara District Attorney's Office and their Probation Office, where the case was filed. I visited the courthouse, copied all the reports, and pushed the Assistant District Attorney for the opportunity to appear on Andy's behalf in the sentencing hearing (Andy was already back in China).

Thankfully, the saga ended without me needing to appear -- and the thief made full cash restitution that I arranged to get back to Andy. And finally, the iPad was returned to me on behalf of Andy

So, that's the long story to explain that I wanted to personally deliver the iPad back to Andy -- and that's what I did when Andy and I met in Shanghai the day after I arrived. A satisfying end of the stolen iPad case – with a great start to my 3^rd trip to Shanghai.