Originally Posted by
Sorthum
You're missing my point. I'm not arguing in any way, shape, or form that the TSA steals things. They do, and it's blindingly obvious.
I'm asking what the point of a lock for a laptop is in the face of that threat. What are you locking it *to*? Kensington lock ports only help you fasten the laptop to an immovable object, which is in dreadfully short supply on a conveyor belt through an x-ray machine. They don't impede boot, and can be removed given time without damaging the laptop in any way.
My question is less "who would steal your laptop" and more "how is this not like locking a convertible with the top down?"
It's not locking a convertible with the top down - it's putting a Club on the whell of the convertible.
You lock it TO the outside handle of your carry-on bag, as has been stated earlier in this thread. Then you lock the bag itself, so the device can't be stuffed back into it for a quick take away. Potential thieves will then leave it alone and steal from others who DON'T have their laptops locked to a bag, rather than expending their limited brainpower coming up with elaborate schemes to defeat the steel cable and stuff a laptop into their pants.
You see, TSOs could slip a laptop, netbook, or tablet down their pants (and have), but even the largest TSO would have a difficult time stuffing an entire carry-on bag/laptop combination down their pants, and waddling away form the c/p, without someone noticing.
Is that a stolen carry-on bag with a laptop locked to the outside of it, or are you just glad to see me?