My Stolen laptop is being used on a Telecom Internet Connection

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › My Stolen laptop is being used on a Telecom Internet Connection

zCelicaDude

171 posts

Master Geek

#34951 1-Jun-2009 19:07

Hey All,

My house was burgled last year just before Christmas, where my laptop was stolen amongst other items amounting to around $6000.00.

I use software called logmein ( http://www.logmein.com ) which is software that allows you to login to a computer and remotely manage/support it. Useful when at work and want to check email or something on your personal computer.

The software has a useful function where it logs every single time the computer is connected on the internet, it logs when it was last connected to the net, and the IP Address it used.

I have been to the police multiple times regarding this, as I have the IP Address and the exact NZ Date/time it was connected on the net. This would allow the Police to find out who has it and prosecute them.

But the police do not seem to follow this up, and I first mentioned it to them in January when it was first on the net, and have been back several times to no avail. I have even called Xtra and Telecom, but they both say the police are the only ones who can “legally” find out who has it.

If these people were caught, there still may be a small chance they have other items of mine, like a digital camera, which has memories I have lost forever unless I could get the images stored digitally back.

Is there anybody who can help me get a result out of this? I would be very grateful. Please private message me to get the details.

Thanks,
Scott

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234 posts

Master Geek

#220527 1-Jun-2009 19:57

Have you tried logging on and checking their email settings or incoming email all similar? I guess the danger is alerting them to the fact that you can logon.

gehenna

8495 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

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Lifetime subscriber

#220530 1-Jun-2009 20:03

seems strange that they wouldn't follow it up. perhaps you could speak with the isp that owns the ip address and see if they can help you

Loismustdye

927 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#220543 1-Jun-2009 20:20

what about the insurance compnay? often they are quite aggressive in wanting to get back stolen equipment.

LennonNZ

2459 posts

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#220547 1-Jun-2009 20:25

It is very strange its taken them this long to do anything about your complaint. The information you have given (ip and address) is very good and with a Search Warrent the Police should be able to get where the computer was used and take it from there.

If from an Internet Cafe or Public Access Wireess point its can be very hard to identify who it was)

Have they given you any reason why its taken 6? Months

If you want to make a complaint about the process about your particular case I would have a look at the website
http://www.ipca.govt.nz/

sxz

761 posts

Ultimate Geek

#220654 1-Jun-2009 23:05

write a letter to the Police Complaints Authority - or better yet talk to a criminal lawyer who can light a fire under their ass.

You know the problem is some cop (or cops) that does not understand what an IP is. If it was a phone number or address - they know how to use this information. So find a cop that knows what they are doing - or a lawyer

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#220659 1-Jun-2009 23:19

No offence but i would think that this kind of thing is a very low priority, i don?t think that the police actually investigate any household burglary?s any more they just write out a report for you to give to the insurance company.

Zeon

3916 posts

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Trusted

#220662 1-Jun-2009 23:28

matt45: No offence but i would think that this kind of thing is a very low priority, i don?t think that the police actually investigate any household burglary?s any more they just write out a report for you to give to the insurance company.

Which is why you should run it through your insurance company. They have a vested interest in prosecuting the criminal so will follow it up for you. TBH the police are useless - you actually need to pay to get anything done which begs the question why do you pay for non-existence services with your taxes when you've got to pay someone else to do their jobs anyway

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boby55

1539 posts

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#220666 1-Jun-2009 23:36

Just say that that ip was downloading your copyrighted files off the net, ISP's seem to give out this sort of information for that.

(I am joking, But in all seriousness, Contact their isp and explain your story maybe they can help"

kiwitrc

4123 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#220687 2-Jun-2009 07:22

Drop an email to Judith Collins, Police Minister, telling her that if the police dont do anything about it the next step is the media. Possibly even the commissioner of the police. Hard to believe they are so tardy about this, quite often something like this leads to a treasure trove of stolen goods.

matt45

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

#220703 2-Jun-2009 08:47

its probably the fact that there is some coordination required to track them with an ip as it is not like a phone number that has a fixed physical address and you can just go there. i suspect the isp may also charge the police for this service which wouldn't be cheap.

stevenz

2802 posts

Uber Geek

#220709 2-Jun-2009 08:57

Just watch they don't try and do you for some sort of invasion of privacy law or something for trying to access your own equipment. In this lefty-world you never know.

That said, does it happen to have a web-cam you can turn on remotely somehow?

Good luck getting some action happening, I hope you get a result out of this somehow! If the police can get this info out of the ISP then assuming the connection is from a residential address then it's very easy for them to track down the exact location, and as mentioned above, there's pretty good odds that your item(s) aren't the only things they have that they shouldn't be in posession of.

Thieving b@st@rds deserve everything they get and then some.

zCelicaDude

171 posts

Master Geek

#220715 2-Jun-2009 09:31

Hey all,

Thanks for all your support and suggestions,

As I have the exact time my stolen laptop was on the internet, and the IP Address at the time, the ISP's can find that in their records.

IP address: 219.89.234.205 ( I assume this is a dynamic IP Address assigned by telecom )
Last online: May 29 2009 13:19:00 NZST

Yes it does have a webcam, but I have never actually managed to login to it; when it has been connected to the net. It's always been connected during the day when I'm at work or something. I have just been noticing from the logs when it has connected, and the IP Address that it was connected with.

I am going back down to the police station today to try and get a result from this.

Thanks everyone :)

Scott

JAMMAN2110

871 posts

Ultimate Geek

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#220721 2-Jun-2009 09:43

I am very keen to hear how you get on with this! ISPs and the Police need to take a tougher stance on things like this.

You will be a hero if you can login and get the persons picture, in all seriousness, I've done things like that before and it's a great way to get people interested in helping you ;)

tr3v

234 posts

Master Geek

#220727 2-Jun-2009 10:04

I use logmein too, mainly for family IT support, and in the past have told them to enable the client ONLY when they need help. After reading this, I have suggested they keep the client enabled always. I am sure you will get a result from this.

zCelicaDude

171 posts

Master Geek

#220993 2-Jun-2009 17:23

Hey guys I was down at the police station today, and actually got some movement on this it seems. The matter has been passed onto there technical team, who apparently have some procedure to go through regarding getting this kind of info. So the police have the IP Address and Time, and we'll see what happens from here, I'll keep it updated. Cheers

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