Tracking a stolen laptop?

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deepred

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#99676 24-Mar-2012 17:56

I did an impromptu stock take in store, and only just realised that one of our laptops is unaccounted for - an HP ProBook 4530s with i5 CPU. Trawling through the sales records, I have reason to suspect it was shoplifted, most likely while I was in the toilet. (Wonder if I'm starting to get to that age where I need prune juice?) It was still brand new in the box too.

We did have a shop burglary a couple of months back, and the cashbox, a couple of flat-panel monitors and external HDDs were stolen, but this shoplifting likely happened after, as I don't recall any laptops being lifted then.

I've contacted HP in the hope of black-listing the serial number, but apparently there's not much they can do. I've kept the cop who investigated the original break-in up to speed. I've also e-mailed some of the local service specialists to be on the lookout for it as well - if there are any other relevant parties, I'm all ears. The usual 2nd-hand dealers drew a blank, as has TradeMe.

I've also read that some HP laptops have fingerprint scanners and remote tracking, and the 4530s has Computrace Pro, but their effectiveness is uncharted territory.

The details are as follows:

Description: HP Probook 4530s laptop + i5-2430m 2.4GHz + 4GB + 500GB + 15.6" 768p LED + 1G HD6490M + BT2.1 + FPR + HDMI + USB3.0 + Webcam + Win7 Pro32
HP Model number: A2N90PA
Serial number: CNU1414Y6D

"I regret to say that we of the F.B.I. are powerless to act in cases of oral-genital intimacy, unless it has in some way obstructed interstate commerce." — J. Edgar Hoover

"Create a society that values material things above all else. Strip it of industry. Raise taxes for the poor and reduce them for the rich and for corporations. Prop up failed financial institutions with public money. Ask for more tax, while vastly reducing public services. Put adverts everywhere, regardless of people's ability to afford the things they advertise. Allow the cost of food and housing to eclipse people's ability to pay for them. Light blue touch paper." — Andrew Maxwell

freitasm

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#599540 24-Mar-2012 18:40

Unless a tracking software was instaled AND activated (with your email or credentials) then I wouldn't hold any hope of finding it through technology.

bigal_nz

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#612901 21-Apr-2012 18:41

To be honest there is probably not much you can do to get your laptop back.

It sounds like you are in a retail situation? The theif will often take these items to pay for a drug habit. The laptop goes to his dealer who probably gives it to someone else who in turn gets money for it by selling it somehow. Probably not on TradeMe - too risky getting caught etc.

Just pray it turns up.

Suffice to say if they managed to steal from you once, there is a better than 50/50 chance they will come back to steal again. After all they got away with it the first time.

Make yourself less of a target.

PM me if you want help with this.