History Main / ConfiscatedPhone

* ''Film/TheTerminator'': The eponymous killing machine hauls a biker type arguing with his girlfriend out of the booth so he can look through the phone book. He can be heard complaining, "Man, you've got a ''real'' attitude problem!" but fortunately for him sticks to verbal abuse.

* This becomes an important plot point in one episode of the Korean series ''ClassOfLies'' (or Mr. Temporary). Korean teachers typically collect the students' phones before an exam and return it to them after the exam period ends. [[spoiler:However, the undercover teacher Moo-Hyeok, who's the invigilator during the class' test, took this opportunity to hack and transfer data from [[TheChessmaster Beom]][[WiseBeyondTheirYears jin]]'s[[note]]who is one of [[teensAreMonsters the four students[[/note]] whom Moo-Hyeok suspects to be closely related to [[PlotTriggeringDeath Su-ah's case]][[/note]] phone to his assistant working behind-the-scenes. [[BookSmart Beomjin]] finishes his exam early and asks for his phone, but Moo-hyeok's persistent refusal to give it back makes him suspicious of the teacher. Beomjin, then, reminds the teacher that he ''has the right'' to get his phone and leave since a certain period of time has passed. He eventually gets his phone back after [[BattleOfWits a suspenseful back and forth]] with the teacher]].

* This becomes an important plot point in one episode of the Korean series ClassOfLies (or Mr. Temporary). Korean teachers typically collect the students' phones before an exam and return it to them after the exam period ends. [[spoiler:However, the undercover teacher Moo-Hyeok, who's the invigilator during the class' test, took this opportunity to hack and transfer data from [[TheChessmaster Beom]][[WiseBeyondTheirYears jin]]'s[[note]]who is one of [[teensAreMonsters the four students]] whom Moo-Hyeok suspects to be closely related to [[PlotTriggeringDeath Su-ah's case]][[/note]] phone to his assistant working behind-the-scenes. [[BookSmart Beomjin]] finishes his exam early and asks for his phone, but Moo-hyeok's persistent refusal to give it back makes him suspicious of the teacher. Beomjin, then, reminds the teacher that he ''has the right'' to get his phone and leave since a certain period of time has passed. He eventually gets his phone back after [[BattleOfWits a suspenseful back and forth]] with the teacher]].

* This becomes an important plot point in one episode of the Korean series ''ClassOfLies'' (a.k.a Mr. Temporary). Korean teachers typically collect the students' phones before an exam and return it to them after the exam period ends. [[spoiler:However, the undercover teacher Moo-Hyeok, who's the invigilator during the class' test, took this opportunity to hack and transfer data from [[TheChessmaster Beom]][[WiseBeyondTheirYears jin]]'s[[note]]who is one of the four students whom Moo-Hyeok suspects to be closely related to [[PlotTriggeringDeath Su-ah's case]][[/note]] phone to his assistant working behind-the-scenes. [[BookSmart Beomjin]] finishes his exam early and asks for his phone, but then Moo-hyeok's persistent refusal to give it back makes him suspicious of the teacher. Beomjin, then, reminds the teacher that he ''has the right'' to get his phone and leave since a certain period of time has passed. He eventually gets his phone back after [[BattleOfWits a suspenseful back and forth]] with the teacher.

* ''Series/DayBreak'': In episode 7, Hopper hijacks the laptop of a pedestrian to read out the data from his USB Stick.

* ''Manga/LuckyStar'' has a different (Yet realistic) example of the trope in which Tsukasa has her Cell phone taken away after it ends up going off in class and causing a disruption.

[[folder: Film ]]

* In the film ''Film/TheMatrix'', Neo grabs a cell phone away from a guy who complains, until Agent Smith morphs into his body.
* For the film ''Film/{{Cellular}}'', this is basically the entire plot: A man is connected to a woman who was kidnapped, and she doesn't know where she is, and he's got the only connection to her, and if his phone runs out, he'll need to beg, borrow, buy or steal another for the battery.
* In ''Film/{{Volcano}}'', the chief of Emergency Services for the City of Los Angeles, confiscates a radio reporter's cell phone when his own becomes unusable.
* In ''Film/TheSting'', Hooker grabs a pay phone away from a woman in order to try to call Luther before he is murdered, then runs off to try and reach him. Hooker's friend is left behind, being swatted by the woman and her purse because she lost her nickel and wants it back.
* The eponymous killing machine in ''Film/TheTerminator'' hauls a biker type arguing with his girlfriend out of the booth so he can look through the phone book. He can be heard complaining, "Man, you've got a ''real'' attitude problem!" but fortunately for him sticks to verbal abuse.
* In ''WesternAnimation/StitchTheMovie'' Jumba answers the phone while imprisoned. When Hamsterwheel is alerted about it, he has Gantu take the phone to propose a ransom in exchange for Jumba.
* In ''Film/HomeAlone'', the family, in a panic, forces a woman at an airport off the phone.
* In ''Film/DieHardWithAVengeance'', [=McClane=] hijacks a car to use a car phone which then dies out. Earlier, Zeus needed to answer Simon's call on a payphone another person is using.

* In episode 7 of ''Series/DayBreak'', Hopper hijacks the laptop of a pedestrian to read out the data from his USB Stick.

* The an episode of ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'' Draken takes and answers Kim's Communicator to tell Wade that she can't talk at the moment and to leave a message.

[[AC: Anime]]

[[AC: Film]]

[[AC:Live-Action TV]]

[[AC: Western Animation]]

* ''Film/TheTerminator'' in the first movie hauls a biker type arguing with his girlfriend out of the booth so he can look through the phone book. He can be heard complaining, "Man, you've got a ''real'' attitude problem!" but fortunately for him sticks to verbal abuse.

* For the film ''{{Cellular}}'', this is basically the entire plot: A man is connected to a woman who was kidnapped, and she doesn't know where she is, and he's got the only connection to her, and if his phone runs out, he'll need to beg, borrow, buy or steal another for the battery.
* In ''{{Volcano}}'', the chief of Emergency Services for the City of Los Angeles, confiscates a radio reporter's cell phone when his own becomes unusable.
* In ''TheSting'', Hooker grabs a pay phone away from a woman in order to try to call Luther before he is murdered, then runs off to try and reach him. Hooker's friend is left behind, being swatted by the woman and her purse because she lost her nickel and wants it back.
* ''TheTerminator'' in the first movie hauls a biker type arguing with his girlfriend out of the booth so he can look through the phone book. He can be heard complaining, "Man, you've got a ''real'' attitude problem!" but fortunately for him sticks to verbal abuse.
* In ''HomeAlone'', the family, in a panic, forces a woman at an airport off the phone.

* In ''DieHardWithAVengeance'', [=McClane=] hijacks a car to use a car phone which then dies out. Earlier, Zeus needed to answer Simon's call on a payphone another person is using.

John Doe is using a phone, typically now it's a CellPhone, but up until about the 1980s it was a PayPhone or in rare cases, his or another person's home phone. Richard Roe decides he needs to use the phone. Richard will either interrupt the call (for a pay phone or a home phone) or steal or confiscate John's cell phone. If Richard Roe just takes the phone and isn't planning to give it back, that's stealing. If a police officer or public official takes a phone because there's an emergency, that's a confiscation, because presumably the owner will eventually get the phone returned.

* In the film ''TheMatrix'', Neo grabs a cell phone away from a guy who complains, until Agent Smith morphs into his body.

In a lot of these cases, it might not be an emergency, it might be Richard Roe just needs a phone in a hurry and steals one.

* In ''DieHard With a Vengeance'', [=McClane=] hijacks a car to use a car phone which then dies out. Earlier, Zeus needed to answer Simon's call on a payphone another person is using.

* In ''DieHard With a Vengeance'', [=McClane=] hijacks a car to use a car phone which then dies out. Earlier, Zeus needs to use a payphone another person is using to answer Simon's call.

* ''TheTerminator'' in the first movie hauls a biker type arguing with his girlfriend out of the booth so he can look through the phone book. He can be heard complaining, "Man, you're got a ''real'' attitude problem!" in the background.