Tweet result! Will Carling tracks down missing iPad in hi-tech pursuit

On the case: Will Carling used the built-in GPS chip to track his missing iPad around the Woking area
12 April 2012

Former England rugby captain Will Carling has been reunited with his iPad after a hi-tech pursuit.

He said he felt like a "spy" when he electronically tracked the device to a block of flats in Woking, Surrey, after leaving it on a train.

He used the iPad's built-in GPS chip to follow the gadget's trail as it was moved around the area, and kept his 46,000 Twitter followers updated throughout his search.

"On an adventure! Left my iPad on the train yesterday," he tweeted. "Have now tracked it down to a building in Woking. On my way! Could be interesting!"

Once he realised his iPad was gone, Carling, 45, said he immediately tried to track it and at first thought it was at Woking railway station.

"I logged into my PC, and saw a little blue dot next to the station," he told the Standard today. "I believed it was the lost property office, so thought I'd drive down as it's only 15 minutes away." However, the GPS chip led him to a block of flats. He tried knocking on doors, but got no reply.

"There was no answer, so I wrote 18 notes and put them through the doors," he said. "Part of me thought, what if they take it the wrong way? But I just thought, to hell with it, I want my iPad back."

The star finally called police after returning home and seeing his beloved iPad was on the move again.

"Breaking news! My iPad has moved! It is now at the station! This is like Enemy of the State!!" he tweeted. He then continued: "Can't believe this. MobileMe [Apple's online tracking service] is now showing my iPad near the station round the back of some shops - has it been dumped???"

Luckily for Carling, the iPad began moving towards a police station. "I was able to send a message to the iPad, telling whoever had it that it was being tracked," he said.

"I saw it moving, so sent another

message saying I could see they were heading towards the police station, and that I hoped they were handing it in."

The gadget was eventually handed in at the railway station's lost property office, where staff passed it on to police. "Result! Police have just called, iPad has been handed over!" tweeted

Carling. "It was handed into Woking station. Tracked it all on MobileMe -weird/awesome."

Surrey Police said no further action was being taken. "It was amazing to watch it on screen, and I'm amazed I got it back," said Carling. "Thanks to whoever handed it in."

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