theft
Fix
2:00AM Kevin Purdy | We’ve offered up a wealth of tips on locking down your data, but old-school, straight-up stealing is another matter entirely. Try these 10 tips on securing, disguising, tracking down and hiding your goods so they don’t get nicked. More »
Top 10 Tactics For Protecting Your Stuff
2:00AM Kevin Purdy | We’ve offered up a wealth of tips on locking down your data, but old-school, straight-up stealing is another matter entirely. Try these 10 tips on securing, disguising, tracking down and hiding your goods so they don’t get nicked. More » 
Fix
Newspaper Sleeve Obscures Your Laptop
3:30AM Adam Pash | Laptops ain’t cheap, and unattended laptops are one of the first things a thief keeps an eye out for. What are thieves not all that eager to steal? Unattended newspapers. More »
Fix
Baby Photos Might Get Your Lost Wallet Returned
9:30PM Kevin Purdy | We normally go in for thin and streamlined wallets ’round this blog, but Scottish researchers suggests a (cute) baby photo is a seriously worthy addition to any wallet. It might just pressure your wallet’s finder into mailing it your way. More »
Work
Prey Phones Home To Help You Recover Your Stolen Laptop
3:00AM Jason Fitzpatrick | Your laptop is missing. You’re completely out of luck, right? Not if your laptop can phone home. Prey is a cross-platform security application that sends home pictures and location data when your laptop goes missing. More »
Fix
Deter Thieves By Uglifying Your Camera
3:30AM Adam Pash | A few years ago, blogger Jimmie Rodgers’s camera was stolen while volunteering in an impoverished Brazilian community, so he did what any sane person would do: He bought an new camera and made it ugly. More »
Fix
How to Set Up a Laptop Security System
2:00AM Adam Pash | The safety and security of our laptops—and all of the important and sensitive information they hold—are of the utmost importance. Let’s take a look at several free and cheap methods you can (and should) use to keep your laptop safe, secure, and out of the hands of thieves. We’ll also take a look at software that tracks and even snaps pictures of the thief in the event he did get away with your precious gear. Photo by presta. More »
Fix
Ugly Your Bike to Deter Thieves
7:00AM Adam Pash | The DIY hackers at Make magazine detail how to deter thieves from targeting your prized cycle by uglifying your bike. The idea: The less desirable your bike looks to a thief, the less likely they are to steal it from among the throngs of other potential victims. Starting with ugly paint and faux rust and ending with a few tacky stickers, the author suggests several tried and true methods for making your bike appear as undesirable as possible. Keep in mind that the article is also quick to point out that this is not theft prevention—a bike lock is still necessary—but considering how easy it is to steal a bike in broad daylight, a lock plus some skilled uglification could make all the difference. U-G-L-Y Your Bike [Make via Hackszine] More »
LocatePC Tracks Stolen Computers with Discrete Emails
8:00AM Kevin Purdy | Windows only: Free computer-tracking application LocatePC is a lightweight application that can save you a hefty amount of money if your laptop, or even desktop, falls into the wrong hands. Running as a nondescript background app, LocatePC can quietly email you at regular intervals or, more helpfully, whenever your IP address changes. That could be a pain for those behind cable connections and the like, but with a simple email filter or a little router-tweaking, you’ll only be bothered by those emails when you really need them. LocatePC is a free download for Windows systems only. For more laptop lock-down tips, check out Adam’s quick guide to thief-proofing your laptop. LocatePC [via CyberNet] More »
How Do You Handle the Laptop Dilemma?
10:10AM Adam Pash | You just sat down at the internet café, you’ve got your coffee, your scone, and your laptop all plugged in and ready to roll, but—you need to hit the head. What do you do? Wired’s Lore Sjöberg discusses this situation—what he calls the laptop dilemma—in detail, offering five options: Leave your helpless laptop alone, ask a neighbour to watch it, take your laptop with you to the can, take everything with you, or lock it up. Obviously, for safety’s sake, you should either lock it up tight or—ideally—bring it along, but we don’t always do what we should. On that note, we’d love to hear how you hack the laptop dilemma in the comments. Photo by scottfeldstein. Workin’ at the Internet Cafe: Laptop Dilemma [Wired] More »
