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WiFi Hotspots Creating A New Crime Wave?
from the hello-ijacking dept
Most people recognize that carrying around a laptop worth a few thousand dollars (or more, if you count the data on it) can be a bit risky. That risk increases as soon as you take out the laptop for others to see, obviously. While we had heard the occasional story of someone getting a laptop stolen while they left their laptops unattended at a WiFi hotspot, it appears that thieves are getting much more brazen, often walking right up to laptop users in cafes, grabbing the laptops and running. In at least one case, the laptop owner got stabbed. The article focuses on San Francisco, noting that this seems to mainly be happening in one part of town (suggesting that it's the work of one group, or at least copy cats), but you could easily see it happening elsewhere as well. Either way, it's clear that, at least in San Francisco, it's a crime that's growing -- though, perhaps still not at worrying levels. Still, it has reached the point where one cafe owner offers patrons their own laptop locks if they want to work in his cafe. Again, this does seem like the sort of thing technology will solve over time, either with better locks or more common usage of lojack-style technology for laptops, that lets people track down their stolen machines. However, for those of you who love working in various coffee shops as your office-away-from-the-office, it makes sense to be a bit more aware of your surroundings.
Reader Comments (rss)
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Lower the price of laptops - easy fix ;)
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San Francisco.
We will probably be hearing more and more about this sort of crime in San Fran. With the implementation of a city-wide wi-fi, more and more users will go outside with their laptops or more people will soon purchase new laptops.
"With great merchandise, comes great opportunity."
With more people in the public with laptops, inevitably - the crime will increase.
...and that just sucks.
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laptops
I got an easier fix, lower the price of handguns. Pop a cap in his ass. Texas has a gun permit law...a few dead computer thieves and they might get the message. im sick of these fuckers.
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I'm not sure how being aware of your surroundings helps much in this case. it's a coffee house not the street. May I also point out that your security in the shop is the responsibility of the shop's owners.
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Data
My worry about having my laptop stolen isn't the laptop, it is the DATA! They need to come up with a technology that would "phone home" and start sending you all your important files.
I work at a big company as well as do my own work on the side and NOONE is ever concerned about their laptop, always the data. And you must know how easy it is to get the CEO on down to do regular backups of their data, "Backup what now? Like, to a disk?!?!?"
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Data
My worry about having my laptop stolen isn't the laptop, it is the DATA! They need to come up with a technology that would "phone home" and start sending you all your important files.
I work at a big company as well as do my own work on the side and NOONE is ever concerned about their laptop, always the data. And you must know how easy it is to get the CEO on down to do regular backups of their data, "Backup what now? Like, to a disk?!?!?"
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Re: laptops
One problem albeit a major one with that comment is most people see a gun and put something between them and it. In this case the laptop :-( so taking in to account adrenalin and the fact that most cant shoot strait for crap then the laptop gets it and the perp is either killed or seriously hurt. Leaving you up for a lot more in legal fees that a 2k laptop. Texas is one place that this would work because of laws etc but a heavily populated coffee shop etc would be disastrous.
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Re: Re: laptops
Next up.....bullet-proof laptops for the masses!
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moo
bitch bitch bitch - are you serious? 'ohh no a laptop thief'
this country is turning into a pack of fags yelping away sipping on a latte browsing their blog - i say anyone who steals their laptop is doing them a favor in 2 ways - 1- liberating them from their glue-like grip to their online life and 2- giving them some excitement in their lives
in all seriousness - if ur bitch enough to get robbed in a cafe - u deserve to have ur laptop stolen
ill be at starbucks on 22nd street and 4th avenue in NYC
see ya there.
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Re: Re: laptops
The obvious solution is ultra cheap laptops, and netstorage. The only purpose of the laptop would be to get to your data, let the twerp have it, get a new one for sixty bucks...
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HELP I'VE BEEN HI-JACKED
Laptops should be fitted with an alarm mechanism which the owner can activate while in a public place.
If the laptop is snatched, once it is more than 20 feet away from the owner (who would be wearing a transmitter) the laptop would shriek out an alarm message. Ok the thief would probably drop the thing in a hurry, but at least they wouldn't get away with it.
Just a thought - and if the owner walked away and the laptop detected it hadn't moved, it could make sure the owner knew not to forget it. You could program all kinds of situations and voices into the system - might be fun - well for a short time anyhow...
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Re: Re: laptops
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Re: moo
Didn't San Fran just pass a gun ban so now the only people with guns
are the criminals? Not just handguns but shotguns rifles and ammo.
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Re: Re: laptops
Not to mention the danger of hitting someone else in the coffeeshop. I bet we would only need a few cross-fire related deaths to see those guns outlawed again.
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Re: Re: laptops
Simple: carry a citizen taser gun and shoot him in the back while he is running away. No one will die and not only will he not get away with your laptop, but he will be stunned enough to be held down by patrons until the police get there. http://www.taser.com/self_defense/index.htm
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IF someone steals my laptop
Damn, this is about the worst thing that could possible happen other then having a family member hurt.
Perhaps everyone should carry guns, then if someone steals a laptop, you could just shoot them in the head. With all of our tax dollars going to Iraq to keep the companies rich- rebuilding what we destroyed it's no wonder, crime continues to run rampant in the US...
The wild west days would solve this. Police are to busy making money off of petty tickets. Time for the people to protect themselves from Hurricanes, Fires, and lap top thieves.
I am going to buy a gun just so I can shoot a lap top thief right in the head.
Then smash his head in with the lap top he tried to steal, perhaps this will be a deterrent to would be thieves, as cable TV, free food housing and educations in prison don't seem to do the trick.
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Top 10, Olympics & Baseball
Yes, of course the Top 10 List of Likely to be Lifted Laptops can't be far behind. The Olympics are sure to get in on the craze with he all new 2008 Toshiba Relay, Dell Downhill. Baseball will add the San Francisco Sony Stealers...
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Re: laptops
You folks from Texas seem to have only one answer to everything and that is to use a gun. Stupid - Stupid. The answer is to teach our young to respect others and their property and this starts at home.
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Laptop
Why guns? I pity the person that has to STEAL a laptop.. Poor souls cannot afford one.. Sure, I was trained by the United States Military at hand to hand combat and I'd break their neck before they got too far, but I would pity them first, but only for a split second before I had my life force... excuse me LAPTOP.. :)
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Re: Re: laptops
"Teach our young to respect others ..." Yes, that is the answer! Then we will have world peace! So if 999 out of 1000 children are taught respect, one person will still steal your laptop. There is no way to stop it all by teaching respect. There is no way to stop it all, period. You can only defend yourself.
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Poor, sad fools...
...who think the solution to violence is more violence.
Countries with fewer guns have lower crime rates. Countries with more guns have higher crime rates. The answer is obviously NOT more guns.
Your beliefs perpetuate a true cancer of society.
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Texans aren't the only ones
There are 38 states that are shall issue, so anyone with a clean record and training (in most states, some don't require the training) can get a concealed weapons permit.
No wait, make that 39, Kansas was added to the list, no 40, Nebraska too.
Texas doesn't allow open carry, at least half the states do, so stop picking on Texas.
Teaching our young to respect others is an honorable method. Your right, it starts at home, but what do we do about all the thugs growing up in homes where this doesn't happen?
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You know what works too?
A nice handgun. Thief walks up to your laptop and grabs it, you pull out your gun and shoot him. I know what the liberals are thinking. Some gun-toting manaic will shoot anyone who looks at their laptop a little funny. You know what we call that? Murder, not defense of property. If the law would stop interfering with property holders' right to use force to defend their property from thieves, this would be non-issue.
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Re: Poor, sad fools...
Been to (formerly) Great Britain lately?
Low crime there?
Up or down since the various gun bans?
Australia?
Both culturally just about as similar to U.S. as you can hope to find for a natural experiment.
Hmmm, or maybe it's a bit more complex, and a lot less obvious than your simpleminded 'analysis' would grant.
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Re: Re: laptops
"Re: laptops by Anonymous Coward on Apr 10th, 2006 @ 7:16am
You folks from Texas seem to have only one answer to everything and that is to use a gun. Stupid - Stupid. The answer is to teach our young to respect others and their property and this starts at home."
And there you have it. The problem is right there. All this touchy feely, dr. phil, oprah, dr. spock bs. A little discipline when the kids are young and you wouldn't need to use a gun on em later.
I bet you are "best friends" with all your kids.
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Re: Poor, sad fools...
Show me a website that proves your theory. You can't. You spout what someone has told you is true. No stats or website even to back it up.
Kuwait had less guns than Iraq. Iraq invaded them.
Poland had less guns than Hitler. He invaded them.
There are too many examples to cite here. But you think having less guns will keep you from being attacked.
Some people just do not have a clue.
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Re: Poor, sad fools...
Actually more legal gun ownership in a society tends to lower crime rates.
In nearly every state that added concealed carry laws to the books crime rates dropped.
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Re: laptops
yeah thats a GREAT idea, then the thieves will just shoot you and then steal your laptop, but hey as long as someone dies I guess...
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nice comparison...
Kuwait had less guns than Iraq. Iraq invaded them.
Poland had less guns than Hitler. He invaded them.
oh, you forgot how iraq had less guns than the united states.
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Re: Re: Poor, sad fools...
thank you I was just thinking that austrailia has a serious gun crime probem now that all the guns were confiscated... there is one thing that is better than an alarm and much more effective is a crook hearing the sound of jacking a round in a shotgun in the dark
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laptops
There are inherent risks everywhere every day. If one fears having a laptop stolen,he or she should leave it home or stay away from the coffee shop.
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What about those Apple store bags?
I just bought a Mac Book Pro at an Apple Store and was not thrilled to walk the eight blocks back to my apt with a clear huge APPPLE bag that lets everyone see the new $3000
laptop inside.
From now on I'll bring a WalMart bag when I buy more expensive stuff.
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guns and laptops
Guns are for preventing harm to yourself or others, not shooting thieves in the head.
I carry one, but I'd never start ripping off rounds in a coffee house because some jackass grabbed by laptop. I wouldn't even shoot at an armed robber unless he was about to shoot someone. At the same time, however, since I am a trained, licensed carrier of a legal handgun, I don't have to fear chasing him down to get it back. Most of these "grab and run" guys are cowards -- hence their M.O. -- but most victims are afraid to go after them anyway. Sure, he'll probably drop/throw it and thereby break it, but at least you have your data, stood up for your rights and have set an example. The crimes least punished become the crimes most committed. Don't believe that? Check out how crummy everyone drives these days. Twenty years ago you'd get at least a warning for failure to signal. Now the COPS don't even signal.
Take some simple steps to protect yourself:
Be aware of your surroundings. Someone who'll grab a laptop and run usually won't look like they belong there. They'll be looking around LOTS. They'll be checking out every computer and person in the place. They'll seem nearly paranoid, because they should. When they find a small person with a sweet new laptop, they've made their decision.
Don't sit with your back to the room. Don't sit near the door. If you're a criminal, are you going to grab something at the very back of the room and have to navigate through a crowd of people looking at your face? Of course not.
Don't leave you computer unattended. Yes, I know that's an obvious one, but the vast majority of cars stolen in my city are taken when someone steps out of it "for just a second" and leave the keys in it, or worse yet, leaves it running.
Put your laptop case strap OVER your head, so it runs diagonally across your chest. You ladies know this from purse carrying (I hope) but you fellows might not. A thief can grab a case off a shoulder very easily, but when it's across your chest, it's a no-go. He'll move on to an easier target. They prefer a case grab over grabbing one in a coffee house anyway, since they'll get all the accessories and maybe a wallet or cell phone or other valuables. Plus they don't look suspicious walking with a case, whereas walking with a loose laptop sort of stands out.
Have a backup drive at home and work. If all else fails and you get ripped off (or just lose it) you'll have most of your data.
If someone pulls a gun or a knife and asks for your laptop and you aren't armed and trained to deal with it, GIVE IT OVER. It isn't worth your life.
Be safe.
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iAlertU to the rescue!
check it out...
http://www.slappingturtle.com/wordpress/
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Re: laptops
Its rehoretic from people like you that give us, proud members of the NRA, a bad name. A permit to a gun is not a permit to kill. No human life is worth a laptop. All I have to say to you is you are not a man, your a child who typically reacts to anger by grabbing your gun.
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WiFi Hotspots Creating A New Crime Wave?
This dynamic, exposing expensive laptops to increast theft, will only create demand for inexpensive laptops...the "caffee" model. Theives aren't going to bother to steal a $200 laptop.
Can this be done? An 11" screen, average processor, operatings system-lite and a keyboard shouldn't cost more than $100 to mfg and package in China....so yeah, it can be done.
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Laptops
Simple!
Get an older laptop, capable of RDP (or any other flavor of remote access). Setup another computer elsewhere on the internet. and then work from home. If your old laptop nicked - a minor inconvinience. and ure data is safe on your other computer :D
With internet access speeds increasing, and remote access software including better compressions, it will be like working locally.
Alot of companies are using solutions such as Citrix, for employees to work away from the office.
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iAlert and other lojack type solutions
The problem with softwear solutions that alert, lock or protect the computer from thieves is that they can easily be bypassed in some fashion. Think of this way, the guys who install car alarms are the same guys who steal cars, fire fighters start fires and security softwear programmers hack around their products.
Hell, degauss the hard drive with a large magnet from a speaker and reconfigure the damn thing.
Cheep laptops I say!
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Laptops
Doh, spelling error...CHEAP.
"Laptops" by Jon is a great suggestion...you can get an older laptop cheap..or just wait a year and your current one will be old. :)
Great idea Jon!
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User beware
It's just like your wallet in a crowded street - be aware of your surrounding and you won't be a target. Watch where you sit - are you too close to the door?
I'd say this is isolated but be cautious wherever you are.
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the sound of jacking a round in a shotgun in the d
ARE YOU SERIOUS???
We are talking about an overhyped, short string of laptop burglaries in COFFEEHOUSES!!! Where the &!$#! does a shotgun in the DARK fit in??? Ridiculous. As always there are good points to be made on both sides of the argument, and I am sure this problem will only get worse.
It will never occur that everyone starts carrying concealed handguns. The best you can hope for is that people will get smart like "normal guy" suggested.
A lock is a great idea, I carry one whenever I have my laptop although I don't go to coffeehouses.
Teaching your kids respect is a great idea, but will not solve crime. Evening out our class bases would, but I suspect that is about as likely as getting everyone to carry a handgun with them.
These sites are getting a little bit ridiculous, in that one can't even read a story about a blind child seeing without hearing the ultra-violent (protect my rights!) conservatives and the pacifistic (protect their rights!) liberals going at it from their respective mom's basements.
I know that problem has always been there, but recently the internet just feels like a playground battle for those people who didn't get over the jocks vs. goths issue in High School.
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Re: the sound of jacking a round in a shotgun in t
"Evening out our class bases would", this would alleviate crime?
Enron, Halliburton, MCI, Congress, and the list goes on of rich people stealing, bribing, extorting, etc. Watch CourtTV and look at the number of rich who kill for money, cars, to keep fame, etc.
Class inequality !=crime
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If you outlaw guns the only people who will have guns are the criminals. Do you truly think that outlawing guns would stop the criminals from having them? They do not buy them from gun stores. Think about it people.
Now, as to the laptop problem. Be careful, dont be stupid about it. I can go anywhere with my laptop and not worry about anybody stealing it from me while I am on it. You wanna know how? Simple, I watch out for idiots who are look suspicious, I dont leave it alone, and if an idiot even looks like he is coming over towards me, I say into my bluetooth headset as if I am on the phone,
"Yeah, I am glad I finally got my concealed license in the mail, I can;t wait for some idiot to try something with me"
Guess what people, I dont have a concealed license, I do not carry a gun on my person. But the thief will think twice before touching anything belonging to me. It is what the thief THINKS you will do that scares him the most. Let his imagination run wild. But most of all, don't be stupid.
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So its my fault???
Here we go...because I work hard for what I buy, it's my fault because it compells some moron to strongarm me for my stuff? Pulleeze....most posters seem to be forgetting the best feature of a firearm: the go switch. You don't need to use it every time. Usually merely showing you have it will make the lowlife pick on someone else. If he ups the ante and pulls a weapon himself (usually a blade), well, you just don't bring a knife to a gunfight. Another falacy in this scenario is I'd ever find myself in San Fransicko in the first place. Not as long as they keep trying to social-engineer from City Hall I won't.
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Laptop/Electric Stun Gun w/ Wireless Remote
How about a Laptop Stun Gun Combo with wireless remote?
If a thief tries to steel your laptop, you can press the button on your remote, and the laptop will send an electric shock to whoever is holding it. Bam he's on the ground and you've caught your culprit.
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Re: Laptop/Electric Stun Gun w/ Wireless Remote
Could be a good idea, but I think it would be more to tell one of my friends to bring me my laptop...then wham!
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Rich People != Classless Society
"Class inequality !=crime"
That is the most @$$ backwards argument.
How do these people (GWBush, Kenneth Lay, Hitler, Gates) become rich and powerful in the first place?
Crime and exploitation of the lower class.
Plus, you are suggesting that the elite end of the Upper class in America is a classless society. That doesn't even make sense. These people are in a constant struggle for more power and money.
As I said, its about as likely to happen as everyone carrying handguns or normal people sitting in a dark corner of a coffeeshop with a shotgun, but that doesn't change the fact that authentic egalitarian societies have next to nill crime. Why would they?
If everyone had a laptop, why would you need 2? Who would you sell it to?
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but...
Crime rates are down in the US, and have steadily declining for 10 years. This includes both violent and property crimes.
Bureau of Justice Statistics
FBI stats
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$100 human-powered laptop
http://laptop.org/ and http://laptop.media.mit.edu/
One Laptop Per Child, research project to put a $100 laptop in the hands of every child in the world. You would just need a connection to the Internet, and RDP or Terminal Services to your "real" computer.
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Re: Data
Store your data on an external HD, keep the HD attached to a USB Cable, Laptop gets ripped off (i.e they grab & run) you hold the portable drive, cable comes unpluged, you still got all your data.
Not the best solution, but better than none.
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lmao
It would be funny if somebody stole a very bad or a fake laptop by accident. Or you could grease your laptop so a theif could not grab onto it. Then you ask everybody to randomely club the theif. If enough people do it, people will stop stealing laptops.
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LoJack Sticker
A very low-tech solution is to put a big sticker that says "LoJack Equipped" on the front of the laptop.
Even if you don't have LoJack or other software on it it is a deterrent.
BMR777
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How to avoid having your laptop stolen
Drink Bleach.
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Re: moo
good point
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Free-WiFi-Hotspots.com
I have used free-wifi-hotspots.com for many years to find free wifi hotspots in my local area.
They are highly recomminded...
Thanks Free-WiFi-Hotspots.com
http://www.free-wifi-hotspots.com
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Is a degaussed hard disk distroyed?
My computer caught a really nasty virus (I believe from Microsoft), it appears that even a low level format would not do the trick. I took a magnetic tape eraser and zapped my hard drive. Now it is not recognized by my computer. Did I ruin it? I was hoping to just really zap the virus, and reformat the drive.
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