How to Stop a Laptop Thief

Meet Your Perp

Think a Daniel Robinson could never walk into your office? The SFPD's Leon has repeatedly watched perps wander around offices unchallenged. Leon says companies should have surveillance cameras monitoring their floor space, but agrees that's obviously not enough. In seven years of battling laptop theft, Leon's got shelves of surveillance video stored in SFPD's evidence library, filled with scenes of perps probing office spaces and walking off with laptops. Occasionally, a company will watch in shock as an employee caught on tape commits the crime. Usually, however, the perp is an outsider. And he or she is not likely to get caught except by chance.

Leon says laptop thieves typically do not operate alone, but in small groups or rings. They case office buildings to see when they can slip past security guards and to figure out when reception desks are unoccupied. They pretend to have job interviews or simply ask to fill out an application for employment. If the receptionist leaves the area, the perp will slip in, swipe a notebook and then duck out. The perp can be observed on surveillance video, popping in and out of offices, and then becoming just another cube dweller casually carrying a laptop, seemingly en route to his next meeting.

Leon says laptops are the number-one item stolen in San Francisco, surpassing even bicycles. Such statistics likely hold true for most major cities, as both items are easy to transport and resell. Leon doesn't have any hard numbers, but estimates that SFPD gets at least 100 calls per month about stolen laptops. He says even though the machines have dropped in price, high-quality laptops will still draw at least $US500 on the black market. The outlets are numerous: Stolen laptops pop up on eBay and Craigslist, at flea markets and pawn shops. Sometimes they're just hustled on the streets, like watches or necklaces.

Stealing a laptop is typically a felony. But for a first offence, the perpetrator is probably going to get off with probation, making it a crime without stiff consequences. The exception to that rule (at least in San Francisco) is if the computer is taken from a hotel, which falls under stricter burglary codes.

Leon says people on the road need to treat their laptops as if they were hefty, bulky wallets. That means not leaving them in cars (like the British intelligence agent who had a laptop with Gulf War plans stolen in 1990), or on a lectern when mingling with the audience after a speech (a la Qualcomm CEO Irwin Jacobs, whose laptop, replete with valuable company data, was stolen in just such fashion in 2000).

"Familiarity breeds contempt," Leon shrugs. Or at least forgetfulness. And that's all a criminal needs to make off with a laptop.

SIDEBAR: Keep It Close to the Vest

by K Carr

Here are some tips for travelling safely with your laptop and protecting the intellectual property contained therein

• Never leave your laptop unattended. This may seem basic, but unattended also includes the boot of your car, your hotel room, others' offices or in your luggage.
• Restrict password access. There's software that can quickly do this for you. To review your options, get reports on the latest products at www.cnet.com.
• Encrypt stored files. Software can do this for you too. But be sure to do your homework on this one.
• Beware of shoulder surfers. When people peer over your shoulder in the airport, they may be trying to see the sports scores that you have scrolling on streaming video, but they may also be trying to steal the data off your confidential company earnings report. Use a polarizing screen cover. Better yet, use your laptop in a more private location.
• Change passwords often. It's hard to remember them all, let alone change them. But it only takes a minute, and it's effective.
• Before your laptop is stolen, take preventive measures by adding tracking software. Visit these sites for information: www.sentryinc.com and www.computrace.com.
• Finally, if your laptop is stolen, report it to the local police.

For more information, visit www.amcoex.com/stolen/default.html and www.stolencomputers.org.