Fighting Back Laptop Thieves

Tue Apr 11, 2006 9:51PM EDT

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Before heading out to the local hot spot, make sure you have some sort of anti-theft protection on your laptop. San Francisco alone has the highest number of laptop robberies in the Bay Area according to the SF Gate. The SF Police reported 48 laptop robberies in 2005 and 18 as of March of this year. Podjackings are turning into iJackings that endanger the lives of folks who are just working out of a coffee shop. So next the time you're surfing the Internet at the local cafe make sure you stay vigilant and don't get too absorbed in your work. Your safety is more important than anything happening online.

Protect Your Investment

One way to recover your laptop if stolen is by installing global positioning system (GPS) software. Computrace LoJack for Laptops silently dials in to a Monitoring Center when connected to the Internet. If your laptop gets stolen it sends a high-alert signal every 15 minutes to a recovery team who tracks your laptop location, and provides this information to law enforcement officials. It currently works only for Windows XP systems, but a Mac version is planned for this summer. For Mac users you can download Orbicule which works with iSight to transmit pictures of the thief. It also tracks the laptop through IP addresses and transmits screenshots of sites visited while stolen. If that fails the program has a Plan B that simulates a hardware failure that makes the screen darker until it becomes unusable.

Lock Down and Screamers

A cheaper way to deter a robbery is to attach a security cable to your laptop. It's a lot more visible and it could potentially discourage thieves. Targus has security cables for laptops and iPods. Another option is Kensington's MicroSaver Alarmed Lock with an audible alarm that can be heard 50 feet away. I'm all for scaring away thieves in a loud and obnoxious way. Which is why I also like the Filsaver PC-Card from Kukuyo that lets out 110 decibels of ear-piercing noise through your computers speakers if moved.

Whatever you do to protect your investment is better than not doing anything at all. If you have any other tools that work for you now don't hesitate to share them here.

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Comments on Fighting Back Laptop Thieves

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  • 6 Posted by dennismkane on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    The article is too generic. It's the first I've heard of it, and want to know SPECIFICALLY how these thefts are occuring. Are these bold grabs while the user is present? Are they while the owner goes up for coffee? Feedback and/or links to better articles would be appreciated.

  • 7 Posted by cjs_sanchez on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    Steal a laptop first. At least if it gets stolen, you break even.

  • 8 Posted by songbird11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    Update: Actually the Computract LoJack works with Vista now.

  • 9 Posted by jenhere25 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    One careless moment and I lost everything at school. Never carry software in a case with you or the thief will have everything. Put passwords on spreadsheets with your personal info. I was I-jacked and have spent two years trying to get my insurance company to pay up.

  • 10 Posted by cassanovaej on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    put some sort of remote detonated explosive in it. blow the thug.

  • 11 Posted by christophershellhammer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:25PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why would anyone leave their laptop for a while and open field for the thieves? Laptops are the diamond ring, you don't leave your diamond ring on the table while going for the coffee. It does not matter what country you are from, we are all humans and it happens everywhere even in Japan. Thanks, a global traveler.

  • 12 Posted by virgil6@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think the best way is to leave your laptop at home, and go to to the library and sign up to use one of their computers and if your hungry eat at home it's not worth the risk plus liquids, food particles, and electricity don't mix it's in the caution part of every laptop instructions booklet, And for the people in Ipod la la land wake the heck up and start paying attention to your surroundings, you know somebody got stabbed in the chest by a gang 5 times for one of those stupid little machines so wake up.

  • 13 Posted by virgil6@verizon.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    I think the best way is to leave your laptop at home, and go to to the library and sign up to use one of their computers and if your hungry eat at home it's not worth the risk plus liquids, food particles, and electricity don't mix it's in the caution part of every laptop instructions booklet, And for the people in Ipod la la land wake the heck up and start paying attention to your surroundings, you know somebody got stabbed in the chest by a gang 5 times for one of those stupid little machines so wake up.

  • 14 Posted by denmendez on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:41PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have a SW 38 special. Anyone gets too close, I cap 'em!

  • 15 Posted by jayprasad on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    Only carelessness leads to loss. The ever vigilant never face loss. Keep yr laptop always with U, even when U go to the loo. Leave it in safe custody if U have to leave it for a while.

  • 16 Posted by jroundtree3 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    what about wireless phone internet protection, like the palm or something of that nature. there hasnt been much talk of that?...

  • 17 Posted by ecogirl_20 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:51PM EDT Report Abuse

    Giving them a hard time re-installing the OS to resell it doesn't prevent it from being stolen in the first place... After my apartment was broken into and my laptop stolen, I now take the replacement with me everywhere, even into the bathroom at the coffee shop.

  • 18 Posted by songbird11 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:32PM EDT Report Abuse

    To Niksem2000 (and everybody else): Of course LoJack works at the bios level. In order to be effective it would have to. I only know that because that's exactly what happened to me,,,well sort of. But when I contacted LoJack they said just that - not to worry because it does work at the bios level. They already figured that scenario into their software. It can only be uninstalled by the buyer via a password on their website. And it can't just be disabled - it has to be uninstalled. And yes - you should have a password for Windows.

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