Laptops: They’re a Real Steal
They are, in many cases, more valuable than jewelry--and a lot easier to pilfer.
Police who patrol the upscale hotels, restaurants and office towers around John Wayne Airport report an uptick of laptop computer thefts in recent months.
According to investigators, thieves are targeting areas where laptop owners are most likely to “leave their guard down” and not keep an eye on their computers.
Often, the thieves will simply walk into a business or a hotel during the day, find an unguarded laptop and walk away with it, said Newport Beach Police Sgt. Steve Shulman.
“There will be meetings and people will go on breaks,” he said, “and the bad guys are aware of that.”
Laptop thefts have increased in the last couple of years, said Brian Haase, the Commercial Marketing Manager for Safeware, a computer insurance company.
According to a recent study by the company, about 319,000 laptops were stolen nationwide last year. Although the company does not formally track thefts by state, Haase said California has the highest number of policy holders.
The Irvine, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa police departments say laptops have long been a hot item for thieves, but especially these days. The departments have reported several dozen thefts since the beginning of the year.
“It’s been popular for a few years now,” Shulman said. “The laptops are popular because they are expensive and in demand. And they are small and easy to carry.”
In airports, thieves tend to distract travelers as they come through security checkpoints, Haase said. As the victim puts a laptop through the metal detector, one culprit will create some confusion, as another nabs the laptop on the other side, Haase said.
Once thieves have obtained a laptop, it’s easy to erase the hard drive and resell the machine on the black market.
“The black market for laptops is huge,” Haase said. “They can sell anything they want.”
And the loss can be more than $2,000 a machine.
Haase added: “People just have to use common sense. You have to think of your laptop as your purse or your wallet.”
Safeguarding Your Laptop
Here are some tips:
* Lock your laptop in your desk when leaving the office, even for short breaks.
* Secure your laptop with a cable or put an alarm on your equipment.
* Disk drive locks can prevent unauthorized use.
* Engrave your company’s name and ID on the equipment.
* Keep backup files of any information.
* Use encryption programs to safeguard information.
* Never save passwords in the computer or keep them in the computer bag.
* Disguise your laptop in another bag, or strap it on as a backpack.
