Archive for the ‘Recovery Stories’ Category

Luckily, the Computrace customer escaped with only minor scrapes and bruises after being attacked my two men on her walk home. However, her laptop wasn’t spared and was taken by the attackers.

The victim contacted police and Absolute immediately afterwards, spurring the Absolute Theft Recovery Team into action. Soon after, Absolute had identified the laptop’s location and provided police with the information necessary to serve a search warrant. The search resulted in the laptop’s recovery and a few additional clues.

The unauthorized user explained that she had recently purchased the laptop off the street, from a seller that she was able to positively identify. As said seller had a colorful criminal resume, the name rang a bell with police – enough motivation to bring the suspect into the station for further questioning. A quick line-up was all it took for the victim to connect the seller to the initial attack. Laptop returned, criminal charged, case closed.

 
Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused, in all cases, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

It was happy ending to a home burglary that left a Computrace LoJack for Laptops customer without her laptop. Soon after the theft, Absolute was able to identify the laptop’s new user – a man who, thinking he was making a legitimate transaction, purchased the machine from an unknown male. The man had paid by check, allowing police to trace the transaction back to the original seller. The seller was then linked to the initial home burglary, as well as a violent robbery that had taken place just days prior. The laptop was recovered, and charges laid.

Upon hearing of the successful recovery, our customer relayed her experiences with the following kind words:

After the theft of my laptop, one thing is certain, “without Computrace LoJack for Laptops, I would have never seen my laptop again!” In the process of filing insurance which I thought initially would be my only restitution, I was surprised to find after my $500 deductible and one year’s worth depreciation I would receive approximately $76 to replace my new laptop.

While working with the Absolute Theft Recovery Team, from day one until my laptop was returned by the police, I was constantly informed of the status of the investigation and felt confident that my small case was important not only to Absolute but to the police as well.

When my laptop was returned, I was surprised to find the very suspect Absolute had identified had committed an armed robbery just 3 days prior to my recovery. He wouldn’t have been nabbed without the information Absolute provided, and thanks this added evidence, will be going to prison for up to 4 years.

Many, many thanks to Absolute for providing not only a computer theft recovery service but a restored a sense of security to me as well!

Susannah M.
Texas, USA
‘LoJack Client for Life’

Apparently, chocolates, flowers and jewelry are just too cliché for some…Absolute recounts some of it most ‘romantic’ recovery stories – laptops stolen in the name of love: 

Couples that Steal Together Stay Together – Absolute Cracks Down on Criminal Couple
A small town was the target of a string of computer thefts; the most recent, a LoJack-equipped laptop that was heisted from the back of a car. Absolute was quick on the case, and by that afternoon, had identified a love-struck female as the unauthorized user and suspected thief.

This information was passed over to a local officer, who paid the suspect a visit. As it turns out, our lady larcenist was desperate to check up on her boyfriend, and had stolen the computer so she could get online and keep an eye on his status – his inmate status at the county jail, that is. The officer found this particularly amusing, as just a few weeks prior, he himself had arrested said boyfriend; the guy was caught in a laptop theft ring.

Our story does have a happy ending, however. After all, the stolen laptop was recovered, and better yet, the two lovers will be reunited…at the county jail.

Absolute Recovers Stolen Laptop, Uncovers Bad Boyfriend
A recovery tale that Absolute hears much too often – The Absolute Theft Recovery Team recently tracked a customer’s stolen laptop to an Arizona residence, which housed the unauthorized female user that the Team had identified. Police visited the home, looking to recover the laptop and reveal further details into the theft. 

The female user answered the door and confirmed that the laptop was is her possession. When confronted with details of the theft, however, the surprised woman alleged that she had never suspected that the laptop was a stolen item as she had received it from a reliable source.

As it turns out, the woman’s boyfriend had given her the laptop a few weeks after the theft had occurred – as a Valentines Day present. And you though your boyfriend was cheap…

The laptop has been returned to its owner, and the less-than-romantic boyfriend remains under investigation.

Absolute Foils Love-sick Larcenist
Sometimes payback is the only cure for a broken heart…so after his amorous advances were denied by his crush, this lovely fellow stole her laptop!

Absolute was able to confirm that the perpetrator of a recent laptop theft was in fact a spurned lover – he was using the machine to email his friend details of the spiteful act. This was just the evidence police needed to serve a search warrant and catch our love-sick larcenist red-handed. The laptop was recovered from his apartment, and our suspect led away with cuffs. 

Our thief better hope the victim likes the bad-boy archetype…

Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused, in all cases, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Although the Absolute Theft Recovery Team is in the computer theft recovery business, its forensic tools often lead police to more than just stolen laptops. From hundred-thousand dollar theft rings to underground fight clubs, Absolute has learned that computer theft is often just a side hobby for ambitious career criminals.

Absolute Uncovers $100,000 in Credit Card Fraud
Absolute recently tipped police off to a suspect who stole more than just computers, helping to uncover a hundred-thousand dollar identity-theft operation. 

Absolute was called to action after a LoJack for Laptops-equipped computer was heisted in a home burglary. Forensic tools determined that the stolen laptop was located just blocks away from the victim’s home, and suggested that the machine was being used to perpetrate credit card fraud. Absolute called upon the County Sheriff’s Forgery and Fraud Unit for further investigation.

Within a week, the Sherriff’s office had obtained a search warrant for the unauthorized user’s address. The warrant was served, and after detaining the house’s occupants, a thorough search conducted.

Police recovered the stolen laptop from the scene, along with narcotics, stolen auto parts, electronics and handguns. More incriminating, police also found a machine that reads and re-encodes credit cards’ magnetic strips, and hundreds of documents which contained names, addresses, and social security and credit card numbers. Detectives estimate the amount of known fraud on the compromised credit cards to be in excess of $100,000.

The unauthorized user was arrested and charged on several counts of Credit Card Fraud, ID Take-Over, Receiving Stolen Property and Narcotics Possession.

Absolute Makes Explosive Recovery
The bomb squad was called on to the scene of a recent Absolute recovery after a stolen computer was used for explosive online research. 

A terminated employee opted to take his company-issued laptop as a parting gift, blatantly ignoring several requests for the machine’s return. Upon receiving the theft report, Absolute began to track this now unauthorized user.

Use of the machine was far from professional – the ex-employee was conducting extensive online research on the construction of explosives. Absolute passed this information over to police, who used it to obtain a search warrant for the suspect’s residence. Given the nature of the evidence, the bomb squad was also asked to tag along – a sound choice, as was soon discovered. 

Police recovered the laptop from the ex-employee’s residence… along with an expansive collection of homemade explosives in various stages of construction. Luckily, the bomb squad was able to safely de-activate and dispose of the dangerous finding. Charges have been laid.

Stolen Laptop Leads Police to Underground Game Fight Operation
Absolute’s detective work led police to a computer thief with a colorful criminal career and particular interest in underground game fighting.

A string of home burglaries left a Computrace LoJack for Laptop’s customer without his laptop, and provided the Absolute team with the evidence it needed to incriminate the suspected theft.

Absolute was quick to identify the user and location information that police needed to serve a search warrant on the suspect’s residence. In a fruitful search, police recovered more than just the stolen computer – over $2,000 in narcotics, $5,000 in illegal firearms, and $3,000 in criminal proceeds were also seized.

On top of the $10,000+ collateral, an established fighting game cock operation was uncovered in the home’s basement. Further investigation revealed that the suspect had a history of charges relating to similar underground operations. 

The officer was happy to add to this criminal record; the suspect now faces charges of Receiving Stolen Property and Possession of Narcotics. Further charges in relation to the other findings are pending.

Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused in all cases are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 Hectic February travel offers ideal conditions for opportunistic computer thieves – crowded airports, packed buses and frazzled travelers. Consider that 12,000 laptops go missing from US airports in a normal month, and one can only imagine the theft toll with travelling at its pique.

Each year, Absolute recovers thousands of laptops stolen en route. A few of our favorite traveling tales:  

Absolute Busts Baggage Burglar, Theft Ring, $11,000 in Collateral 
Over $11,000 in suitcase-swiped items, including several stolen laptops, we were covered thanks to Absolute’s latest efforts.

A busy traveler contacted Absolute after his checked baggage arrived in Chicago one laptop lighter. Absolute was quick to determine that the machine was being used by two unauthorized users: an airport employee, who (rather ironically, we might add) worked in the customer service department; and her husband, who (less than coincidentally) was a baggage handler. Absolute passed this information on to police.

A visit to the suspects’ residence resulted in police recovering the traveler’s laptop along with two other stolen machines. The husband confessed to the baggage burglary, admitting that since working at the airport, he had stolen at least 10 other machines. He also implicated a number of other airport employees who made up an intricate theft ring, the leader of which was later caught with a bag full of stolen laptops, cameras and MP3 players – over $11,000 in collateral. Several arrests were made, and the laptops reunited with their owners.

Conniving Cabbie no Match for Absolute
A dubious driver and dramatic getaway provided for another interesting Absolute recovery.  

A road-weary Computrace LoJack for Laptops customer placed his laptop in the cab he had hailed, but before he could get into the vehicle, the driver sped off. He immediately called the driver, but was told that another passenger had just been dropped off and that his laptop was already gone. The cab company confronted the driver also – only to have him feverishly deny any knowledge of the laptop’s existence. Enter: Absolute.

After receiving the theft report, Absolute began to track the laptop’s location and use -details that showed that the driver in question was in fact using the machine. Absolute passed this evidence on to police who continued the investigation.

Police ran the drivers name, only to find that he had already registered a hefty number of complaints in his day as a cabbie. Yet confronted by police, the driver alleged that he was no thief – instead, the laptop had been given to him by our victim, in lieu of cab fare (perhaps not the most equal trade?). Less than convinced by this dubious account, police arrested and charged the dishonest driver. 

Absolute Shows No Sympathy After Shuttle Sob Story
A busy traveler, an opportunistic thief and a convincing lie were all it took to convert a laptop into criminal proceeds, and punch the latest notch in the belt of the Absolute Theft Recovery Team.

A Computrace-equipped laptop was left behind on an airport shuttle bus by a traveler rushing to catch his flight. Absolute was quick to track the stolen machine, pinpointing its location to a nearby residence and providing police with the information they needed to confront the laptop’s unauthorized user.

This user explained that, while waiting to board a shuttle bus, she was approached by an unknown male with the laptop in hand. The man recounted a convincing sob story of how he was hard on his luck, low on cash and stranded in the area. To help pay for his airfare home, he was selling the laptop for a mere $600. As a gesture of goodwill, and knowing that her daughter would soon be requiring a laptop for school any how, the woman a paid the full amount and happily took the laptop home. 

When police informed the woman that her laptop was a stolen item, she was extremely cooperative and released the machine to authorities. The laptop has been returned to its rightful owner, while the investigation continues.
Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused in all cases are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

 (1) Ponemon Institute, 2009

Laptop theft equals big business for many thieves; online classifieds, auction sites, pawnshops and sometimes plain old street corners provide the perfect spot to flip a stolen machine. Yet while few of us will deny that computer theft is a seedy crime, many of us wouldn’t hesitate if offered a great deal on a good computer. But at what price?

Whether you unknowingly make an illegitimate transaction or simply chose to ignore better judgment to strike a good deal, the consequences of buying a stolen laptop are unfavorable. If you can smell a fishy situation but still make the purchase, you could potentially face charges for Possession of Stolen Property. And even if by chance you can prove you made the second-hand purchase in good faith, you’ll still be laptopless in the end– police will return the machine to its legitimate owner, and you’ll be out whatever cash you forked over.

Absolute recovers thousands of stolen computers each year, and knows the general rule of thumb when it comes to purchasing a used machine: if the situation feels suspicious, it probably is, and you should avoid it.

Although there are no real tell-tale signs of theft, there are definately ‘red flags’ to look out for when buying secondhand:

• The seller is unable to produce any documentation for the hardware.
• Kensington lock slot is damaged (suggests the computer was ripped from its security cable.
• Computer is being sold without its power cord.
• Computer is being sold for an unusually low price (most thieves are looking for a quick flip).
• Serial number is scratched out or blatantly obscured.
• The computer is password protected.
• There are clear signs of corporate branding (desktop, screen savers, naming schemes, stickers, etching, etc.).  

Even though the offer may be tempting, think before you buy – and be sure to do a bit of research first:

• Inquire into the reason for sale. Why is the seller getting rid of the laptop? What have they used it for in the past? Look for fumbling responses, or incoherent explanations.
• Ask where the laptop was originally purchased and for any original documentation the seller may have – manuals, receipts etc.
• Request a purchase receipt. An honest seller should have no qualms with this.
• Consider fair market price. Is the computer being sold for an unreasonably low amount?
• Using the laptop’s serial number, check with online theft registries or local police to see if the machine has been reported stolen.

Buyers beware, be careful and be smart!

Five Computrace equipped laptops were stolen from an office burglary in late 2009, though with a little help from the Absolute Theft Recovery Team, police recovered four soon after. These recoveries pointed directly to a suspect, resulted in an arrest, and conveniently, an informant. Police were tipped off to a second suspect, who Absolute was able to confirm as the unauthorized user of the fifth machine. An investigator paid a visit to the suspect’s residence.

As it would seem, laptop theft was among the suspect’s many unlawful hobbies. The victim’s laptop was recovered from the home, along with three other computers that did not have Computrace installed. Additional stolen property was also seized, as well as narcotics and a substantial amount of Napalm. The suspect was arrested, and will soon be joined by four of his associates who are being detained in connection to the case.

Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused in all cases are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

A few of our valued customers are speaking out about computer theft, Computrace LoJack for Laptops – and a happy ending.

Laptop Recovered Overseas

Jess still uses the laptop, commenting: “I would really recommend LoJack for Laptops software. Without it, there would have been no way to get my laptop back, especially since it happened in a completely different country. The service was quick and efficient. As we didn’t have to get involved directly with the police, this saved us a lot of hassle. We will definitely ensure we have LoJack for Laptops installed on any laptops we should buy in future.”

Laptop Lifted From Limo in the City That Never Sleeps

With the help of the Absolute Theft Recovery Team, Butler’s laptop was later found in Boston, where it had been resold online through Craigslist. Even after a hard drive wipe, Absolute Software was able to return the laptop to its rightful owner.

You Can Never Be Too Cautious on a College Campus

Bill made the mistake of leaving his backpack, with his laptop in it, unattended on the first floor of his house one night. His backpack was stolen that night, and when he notified the police, he was informed that his laptop was one of 12 that had been stolen in the last two days. Immediately, Bill reported the stolen laptop to Absolute Software. With the help of their Theft Recovery Team, Absolute Software was able to track down the computer and get it back to him. Relieved, Bill said, “If I were to ever buy another laptop, there’s no question in my mind that I would purchase LoJack for Laptops with it.”

Locked Cars Are Not Enough to Keep Thieves Out

Brice was relieved when his laptop was recovered after it had been detected at eighteen different IP addresses. With the help of Computrace LoJack for Laptops, Brice’s laptop eventually led police to the original thief, who had allegedly stolen many other laptops and resold them to unsuspecting consumers.

One Line of Defense Is Not Always Enough

Jamie’s stolen laptop was later recovered from a nearby business, which had purchased the computer from a local chop shop. Jamie praised the recovery agents and commented that Computrace LoJack for Laptops is “… like a little private eye that travels with your laptop wherever it may end up.”

Absolute’s recoveries often lead police to more than just stolen computers…check out a few of this week’s top recoveries:

–> A laptop disappeared from the locked desk of a corporate customer, leading police to believe that the thief was internal to the victim company. Indeed, the unauthorized user that Absolute identified was a current employee, and also discovered, was a longtime suspect for past office thefts – but the company simply did not have the intel to prove it. Now armed with the information provided by Absolute, police were able to attend the employee’s residence. The company’s laptop was recovered from the scene – along with 5 other company computers that were believed to be stolen prior to the installation of Computrace. The (now former) employee was arrested.

–> Bullet proof vests, a revolver, prescription drugs, an array of illegal substances, drug paraphernalia and $500 in criminal proceeds complemented the recovery of a laptop stolen in a recent break-and-enter.  Two arrests, four charges and a happy Computrace LoJack for Laptops customer resulted.

–>A laptop that was stolen in a home invasion revealed two unauthorized users – resulting in two search warrants served. The computer was swiftly recovered, along with an illegal weapon and over $7,000 worth of narcotics. Further, the two suspects were not only linked to the home invasion and charged for that offense – they also face charges for possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property, and possession of illegal firearms. All in a day’s work…

 
Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused, in all cases, are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Absolute recently recovered a customer’s laptop after it was stolen from a Massachusetts dorm room. The story unfolded as follows: a few weeks prior to theft, the identified suspect’s own laptop had been stolen on the same campus. Laptopless and doubtful of its return (her machine was not equipped with Computrace LoJack for Laptops), the suspect decided to find a quick replacement – and an unlocked dorm room provided the perfect opportunity for some late night laptop larceny.

Unfortunately for our suspect, however, the thieved machine was equipped with Computrace LoJack for Laptops, and so Absolute and campus police were soon onto her ploy. After being reminded that the ‘pay it forward’ mantra does not apply to thievery, the suspect was required to handover the laptop, write a formal apology to the victim, and will be facing the university’s disciplinary board.

Please note that indictments and criminal complaints are merely unproven accusations and the accused in all cases are presumed innocent until proven guilty.