Laptop theft up
Police Commissioner Darwin Dottin. (FP)
By Anesta Henry | Sat, January 28, 2012 - 12:06 AM
While free WI-FI across the island has been a boon for Barbadians and tourists seeking a wireless Internet connection, it has a serious side-effect: more laptop computers are being stolen.
According to Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin, making Internet access more widely available in Barbados was to be commended as that aided in bridging the digital divide between people who were able to pay to have Internet access and those who could not.
However, he noted there was a backlash.
“We predicted at the outset that there [was] likely to be negative fallout from this very useful initiative and there has been,” he said.
The commissioner also indicated that the force was still battling the serious problem of cellular phone theft which was “reaching very worrying or almost epidemic proportions”.
Read the full story in today's SATURDAY SUN.
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If you have an Apple Computer (“Mac”) and sign up for the annual service iCLOUD and activate it your laptop, you can track log into iCLOUD on the web and track the laptop by GPS. If you have an IBM compatible you might be outta luck. In terms of stolen mobile phones, you download the free http://www.Mylookout.com and do the same thing being able to find your mobile phone by GPS.
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Comment LinkI would recommend that mobile device users use Prey. This is a service which is available for free in its basic form, and has a paid version, which has some upgraded features. Most users can get by with the information provided by the Basic version, which should provide enough information for the Police to find your laptop maybe even a picture of the person using your device illegally, if your laptop has a built in webcam. There is a Video on the Prey web site http://www.preyproject.com explaining how it works and how to download the App to your lap top or mobile device. Apple users can use the service available through Apple, which does the same thing.
CM
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Comment LinkJ. Payne, there are sorts of similar programs for the PC, eg lojack.
Now in all seriousness such tracking can only work if the thief is stupid enough to not wipe and erase the operating system of the computer or electronic device.
As far as GSM cellular phones go, there is absolutely no reason why cell phone theft should be a problem for 2 reasons :
1/ Cellphones can be tracked by the service provider.
2/ Cell phone IMEI numbers can be blacklisted by service providers once the phone is reported stolen. The blacklisted phone(s) should then be diabled on any network here or in the region without police clearance. The thief could wipe the phone’s data, change the sim card and even the network but that still would not help. That would immediately remove the market for stolen cell phones. But alas our cell service providers do not seem to mind getting business from illegal/stolen phones.
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Comment LinkJ. Payne, I’m guessing your background isn’t IT, IBM compatible computers can be monitored quite easily. If you steal my laptop, I can track your ip address and even login to my laptop and view your face with a web camera.
Barbados isn’t using Technology, you can’t steal a cell phone in the USA, all cell phones have an IMEI number which can be tracked and the phone will be shut off.
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