BAKERSFIELD, CA - A Bakersfield College senior says he was forced to become a crime fighter after Bakersfield police told him they couldn't help right away. Edwin Borbon says someone stole his backpack, with his Mac laptop inside. He was able to track it down using his iPhone, but he says police weren't willing to help him get it back.
Bakersfield police say it's a matter of priority.
Borbon says his backpack was stolen on the first day of summer school.
"I feel like it's up to me to try to get my stuff back," said Borbon.
The senior says he was distracted from class and focused on finding the person who stole his backpack from the swim deck.
"I've been on the swim team for a year and nothing has ever happened," said Borbon.
The straight "A" student lost his textbooks, his wallet, and his two-month-old Mac Book Pro. But, he still had his iPhone. Borbon says he used the app "Find my iPhone" and he was able to track down exactly where his Apple computer was last connected.
"And, I immediately called the cops hoping they would at least meet me there or something for my safety so I could try to get my stuff back. They said that's not the way they operate. They said it was not an emergency," said Borbon.
"Calls are going to be prioritized based on if someone's life is in danger, on the severity of what's going on right now," said Bakersfield Police Public Information Officer, Michaela Beard.
Beard says had Borbon been in immediate danger or forcibly robbed, an officer would have come. And, Borbon says, when he called police warned him not to go after his things.
"It was really frustrating, like they had no intention, like they didn't want to help me at all, you know. So, as soon as I got to that location, I immediately grabbed my dad, and I was like 'lets go.' We are out of here," said Borbon.
The app took them to a home on Brown and Pacific Streets in east Bakersfield. The people there didn't want to go on camera for fear of retaliation. but they told 17 News what they told Bordon. They said a man tried to sell them the laptop, but when he turned it on they saw the tracking alert. They didn't buy it. They said minutes after he left, Bordon and his dad arrived. Bordon believes had police responded when he called, they could have caught the crook.
"This is the first situation that I've come across that they kind of like brush me off," said Bordon.
Bordon filed a report with Bakersfield police and with campus security.