What do people do with stolen computers?
Aug 26, 2010, 4:18 pm
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,119
Aug 26, 2010, 7:55 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2003
Location: GEG
Programs: Motel 6 Club Avoir Le Cafard
Posts: 5,027
A Global Graveyard for Dead Computers in Ghana
The individuals depicted in the above-linked photo essay are not, as far as I know, suspected in any wrongdoing.
The individuals depicted in the above-linked photo essay are not, as far as I know, suspected in any wrongdoing.
Aug 26, 2010, 8:02 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,051
My sister had all her computers stolen. The grievous part was the data. Now, she encrypts everything. I haven't gotten to that place, but I feel like I'm skating on thin ice to have any data in unencrypted form. We have an alarm system, but I doubt the local police can really make it here before thieves could grab things and go. So I'm really placing a lot of faith in the signs in the yard. I think everyone should be encrypting, but I haven't gotten to it. Risky.
Aug 26, 2010, 9:00 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Denver, CO, USA
Programs: Sometimes known as [ARG:6 UNDEFINED]
Posts: 26,685
I have some software on my computer now called Prey (http://preyproject.com/) which sits in the background and can be remotely activated when a computer is lost or stolen, it free and open source. If the thief connects the computer to the internet it can be triggered to take a picture if there is a web cam and it will capture other information like IP address etc that could be useful for law enforcement. I realize this info is a little late now, though thought I would throw it out there for everyone to be aware of.
And what if he formats the computer?
That’s a different story. We encourage you to add a BIOS password and disable booting from removable devices on your PC, so that the thief will be forced to boot into the previous installation and thus, not be able to format your hard disk easily.
That’s a different story. We encourage you to add a BIOS password and disable booting from removable devices on your PC, so that the thief will be forced to boot into the previous installation and thus, not be able to format your hard disk easily.
Aug 26, 2010, 9:14 pm
#20
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: CLE
Programs: UA Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,659
At my church, we do Angel Trees. People in a particular community ask for gifts for their children. One mother asked for a computer. I managed to draw that card. I went to a pawn shop and found a computer for about $100. It was full of personal stuff. I just deleted the personal stuff. I didn't even look at it. I then loaded Open Office software.
I assume the computer was stolen. It was my first time at a pawn shop and i was amazed at the stuff for sale. Lots of constuction tools. I have no idea whether it was out of work workers or stolen tools. Furs, jewelry, CDs.
Everyone should go to a pawn shop just for the experience.
I assume the computer was stolen. It was my first time at a pawn shop and i was amazed at the stuff for sale. Lots of constuction tools. I have no idea whether it was out of work workers or stolen tools. Furs, jewelry, CDs.
Everyone should go to a pawn shop just for the experience.
Aug 27, 2010, 11:38 am
#21
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
At my church, we do Angel Trees. People in a particular community ask for gifts for their children. One mother asked for a computer. I managed to draw that card. I went to a pawn shop and found a computer for about $100. It was full of personal stuff. I just deleted the personal stuff. I didn't even look at it. I then loaded Open Office software.
I assume the computer was stolen. It was my first time at a pawn shop and i was amazed at the stuff for sale. Lots of constuction tools. I have no idea whether it was out of work workers or stolen tools. Furs, jewelry, CDs.
Everyone should go to a pawn shop just for the experience.
I assume the computer was stolen. It was my first time at a pawn shop and i was amazed at the stuff for sale. Lots of constuction tools. I have no idea whether it was out of work workers or stolen tools. Furs, jewelry, CDs.
Everyone should go to a pawn shop just for the experience.
Aug 27, 2010, 5:08 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ATL
Posts: 3,219
If it were stolen, then they would be out the $100 and would still have to get another computer to use for the church Angel Tree gift. Better to turn a blind eye to it.
Aug 27, 2010, 5:29 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: San Jose CA
Posts: 1,100
I'm sure there are exceptions, but the vast majority of crooks are not masterminds. I've tutored prisoners in a medium security facility, and in my limited experience, they're mostly just guys who made dumb decisions without a lot of forethought. I never encountered Hannibal Lecter or someone with a master plan for stealing personal information.
Aug 27, 2010, 8:55 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA Platinum
Posts: 151
If the computers aren't brand new then the parts are worth more than the whole and the shell with the serial number goes in the trash. This is especially true of notebooks where a working LCD screen can be sold for nearly as much as the computer cost.
Aug 27, 2010, 10:04 pm
#25
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,716
Sell it
Sell it
Sell it
Sell them
Keep it or sell it
Sell it
Probably throw it away when they realize what it is.
They likely didn't take the other stuff and it's not as easy to sell. I'm not sure why this should be a mystery. They are likely smart enough not to just post it on craigslist. Unless it's the Wii and PS3. Good luck figuring out which ones are stolen and not. Same goes with hard drives.
Sorry you were burglarized. I hope you have insurance.
Aug 30, 2010, 4:16 pm
#26
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 8,798
I work for the company that makes LoJack for Laptops. We recover a lot of stolen laptops each week.
From an application perspective, the main thing that differentiates our product from Prey and their ilk is our application survives a hard drive reformat / swap and/or a Windows OS re-install.
This means it'll still 'call home' even if the laptop is rebuilt, which is a common scenario - Windows is typically reinstalled to get past a password prompt, but often the data is left in place so the thief can noodle around in it.
Sep 1, 2010, 11:15 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
Wouldn't the pawn shop have to give back the $100 if he had a receipt for it? The store was likely handling stolen goods and I would have thought they would be responsible for giving the computer and $100 back if it could be shown that they were fencing.
Anyone else see the contradiction in giving a presumed stolen piece of property as a church(I'm guessing Christian) gift?
Sep 2, 2010, 9:04 am
#28
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: United, American, Southwest, USAirways, Delta
Posts: 1,874
Wouldn't the pawn shop have to give back the $100 if he had a receipt for it? The store was likely handling stolen goods and I would have thought they would be responsible for giving the computer and $100 back if it could be shown that they were fencing.
Anyone else see the contradiction in giving a presumed stolen piece of property as a church(I'm guessing Christian) gift?
Anyone else see the contradiction in giving a presumed stolen piece of property as a church(I'm guessing Christian) gift?
My question - What kind of rich, entitled church is this where people ask for computers as gifts?
Sep 3, 2010, 10:53 am
#29
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,193
I think the assumption that the laptop is stolen because it's in a pawn shop, is not always true. Pawnshops are usually under intense scrutiny by the local police just for this reason, and want nothing to do with stolen items. Too many stolen items and the shop will find itself shut down.