FLORIDA COMPUTERS STOLEN Police reports from local municipalities - N. Central Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com:

• MIAMI GARDENS

A burglar stole a wallet, $50, a camcorder, gold chain, a laptop computer and other items after breaking a window at a house in the 18500 block of Northwest 42nd Avenue between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 18. The items were valued at $6,733. Damage was estimated at $25.

• MIAMI SPRINGS

A thief stole a laptop computer belonging to a hotel guest at the Comfort Inn Suites, 5301 NW 36th St., on Nov. 15. The laptop was valued at $700.

• PALM SPRINGS NORTH AREA

A burglar stole a television, computers, two watches and jewelry after smashing a sliding glass door at an apartment in the 18300 block of Northwest 68th Avenue between 12:30 and 3:15 p.m. Nov. 21. The items were valued at $8,138.38.

• UNINCORPORATED MIAMI-DADE

A burglar stole a laptop computer from an unlocked office at American Home Health Care, 20 NW 181st St., between 12:45 and 2 p.m. Nov. 11. The laptop was valued at $4,000.

OHIO COMPUTERS STOLEN Cleveland Jewish News > News > Local:

Thieves take two computers from NCJW offices
By Douglas J. Guth
Senior Staff Reporter
Published: Friday, November 28, 2008 1:18 AM EST

Two computers were stolen from the Warrensville Heights offices of the National Council of Jewish Women, Cleveland Section (NCJW) on Nov. 20. The theft was the second such incident at the volunteer organization in the last six months.

Last week’s robbery occurred at about 6 a.m., reports Lt. William Jelenic of the Warrensville Heights Police Department. The perpetrator or perpetrators gained access to the NCJW offices at 26055 Emery Road by breaking a window. A security alarm on the premises tipped police to the burglary.

Police do not have any leads at this point, says Jelenic. There were no fingerprints, footprints or other physical evidence found in or around the site. Detectives are currently casting about for leads on anyone trying to sell electronics in the area.

Other than the computers, no money or valuables were taken. NCJW keeps donated clothes, furniture and other items in a warehouse attached to the office.

“Absent more evidence, it’s tough to go further” with the investigation, Jelenic admits.

Lacking concrete proof, the lieutenant would not link the latest burglary with another equipment theft that took place at NCJW’s offices in June. During that early-morning event, thieves entered the building through the front door and took two computers.

NCJW Cleveland chapter president Debbie Bloom estimates the equipment taken in both thefts was worth over $10,000. As of press time Tuesday, NCJW had yet to replace the stolen property or the window broken during the latest burglary; Bloom and chapter executive director Mindy Axner are currently sharing a computer in Axner’s very cold office.

Private information and confidential records on the computers’ hard drives are protected, Bloom notes. However, it is possible the thieves will be able to access older e-mails.

“This is a big inconvenience for us more than anything else,” maintains the chapter president. “This just feels like a violation to us.”

dguth@cjn.org

IOWA COMPUTERS STOLEN Crime Report -- Des Moines | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register:

1900 block of East 22nd Street, Nov. 20 - A man reported the theft of $1,875 cash; a laptop computer, valued at $1,500; a pair of shoes, valued at $140; a variety of men's clothing and four checkbooks.


3800 block of East 32nd Street, Nov. 21 - A woman reported the theft of a television, valued at $1,000, and a laptop computer, valued at $1,200.

NEW MEXICO COMPUTERS STOLEN Police notes Nov. 28 - SantaFeNewMexican.com:

• Someone pried open a door to the Lucky Bean Cafe and Advantage Asphalt Inc. in the Rancho Viejo subdivision between Tuesday and Wednesday and stole several laptop computers, flatscreen TVs, cash and beer.

ONTARIO COMPUTER STOLEN The Chronicle - Ontario, CA:

Computers stolen from West Lorne business
Posted 2 hours ago


Milner-Rigsby Co. Ltd. Rockland Flooring in West Lorne is offering a cash reward for information about a break and enter Nov. 11 when thousands of dollars of property was stolen.

It was around 11:00 p.m. when someone broke into the Elm Street building. Most notable amongst the stolen items were four Dell Laptop computers. Milner Rigsby Co. will pay a cash reward of $1,000 for any information that leads to someone being arrested and charged, and a reward of $2,000 if information given leads to an arrest, charges, and the return of the stolen items.

Information can be provided to the Elgin County OPP at 519- 631-2920 or after hours at 1-888-310-1122. Rockland Flooring can also be contacted at 519-768-1250 Ext 12. Anyone who would like to stay anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-tips.

KANSAS STOLEN COMPUTER www.gbtribune.com | Local News:

11/27/2008 9:14am
Stolen laptop leads to drug bust
SUSAN THACKER sthacker@gbtribune.com

Security software built into a stolen laptop computer led police to a Hoisington residence on Tuesday. Authorities not only found the computer, but they also uncovered what appears to be a methamphetamine lab.

Detective Denton Doze at the Great Bend Police Department said the $9,000 computer, along with hand tools and power tools, was stolen during a burglary reported last Friday at the My Town project, 1419 Main Street.

The first time someone went online with the missing laptop, the manufacturer tracked it through the e-mail and notified police. Detective Doze got a search warrant for the residence of Dennis L. Price at 413 Maple Street in Hoisington. The Hoisington Police Department, including Chief Kenton Doze (the Great Bend detective's brother), and the Barton County Sheriff's Office were involved in executing the warrant. Their search began around 11 a.m. Tuesday.

"The computer was on the living room floor," Detective. Doze said. During the search for the missing hand tools, suspected drugs were found and it was Hoisington Police Chief Kenton Doze's turn to get a search warrant.

"We found what we suspected to be methamphetamine," Chief Doze said. Hoisington got a third search warrant when officers found "what looks like the components of a meth lab."

Price was booked into the Barton County Jail on charges of possession of ephedrine, drug manufacturing equipment and marijuana. He is being held in lieu of $300,000 bond.

As of Wednesday evening, the missing tools had not been accounted for.

TEXAS COMPUTER EQUIPMENT STOLEN Dallas Charity Burglarized Just Before Thanksgiving | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth:

Dallas Charity Burglarized Just Before Thanksgiving Thieves steal computer equipment from Catholic Charities office

Updated 7:42 PM CST, Wed, Nov 26, 2008

A Dallas charity said thieves broke into its office and stole computer equipment just before Thanksgiving.

The burglars smashed into a window at the Catholic Charities office on Maple Avenue. Vanna Slaughter said the break-in was "pretty disheartening."

"This is all we need; it's a very hectic week trying to see clients before the holidays," she said.

On the day of the break-in, Catholic Charities was scheduled to hand out Thanksgiving gift baskets to its 12 most needy clients.

"You just wonder who can do this sort of thing so close to the holidays," Slaughter said.

"They could have come in we would probably been able to help them if they were so destitute in their lives," she said. "They didn't have to do this."

Donations are down and the needs of clients are up. The charity said the thousands of dollars it will cost to replace the broken window and the stolen computer equipment will take a toll.

"This just takes our time away from helping people, and it's going to take resources away from helping people as well," Slaughter said.

Julian Noel said his photography studio three doors down from Catholic Charities was burglarized last week.

"I've lost two days or more at least of production," he said.

Police said the two incidents may be related.

MINNESOTA COMPUTERS STOLEN Press Publications > Vadnais Heights Press > News > Police Reports:

• Two computers were reported stolen from a business in the 1800 block of Buerkle Road Nov. 17.

MICHIGAN COMPUTERS STOLEN Wayne County Schools Vandalized:

Wayne County Schools Vandalized Save Email Print
Posted: 9:26 AM Nov 26, 2008
Last Updated: 1:34 PM Nov 26, 2008
Reporter: WSAZ News Staff
Email Address: news@wsaz.com

SEE VIDEO.................

WAYNE COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) –Two Wayne County Schools were vandalized overnight.

The custodial staff at Buffalo Elementary and Middle School discovered the damage and missing items when they arrived for school Wednesday morning.

At the elementary, several classrooms, the principal’s office, and the school nurse’s office were vandalized.

Among the items taken were gifts and money the kids had collected for needy families. The vandals also stole a washer and dryer. School officials are not sure if any of the children’s medicine being kept in the nurse’s office is missing.

Over at the middle school, besides the vandalism, a number of computers were taken from classrooms.

The principal says this is the 2nd time the middle school has been hit in the past couple of months.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office

Publish Post

WEST VIRGINIA COMPUTERS STOLEN Wayne Schools Targeted By Thieves - WOWK-TV - wowktv.com:

Wayne Schools Targeted By Thieves
Posted Wednesday, November 26, 2008 ; 04:12 PM
Updated Wednesday, November 26, 2008 ; 04:39 PM

Buffalo, Wayne Co. -- Thieves broke into four Wayne County schools early Wednesday morning. This makes more than a half dozen school break-ins in the last month and detectives are doing everything possible to catch those responsible.

State police working along with Wayne County deputies pulled fingerprints from a change box yanked out of a vending machine at Buffalo Elementary at around 3:40a.m. Wednesday.

"Every room in the school was hit...they ransacked every room the offices was the hardest hit," said Tony Clay, Buffalo Elementary School Assistant Principal.

Though cleaned up now, the nurses office had files and medicine strung out all over. The principals door was busted open and other office windows were broken out. Even the school's washer and dryer were hauled away.

They even stole a christmas tree from one of the classrooms along with Christmas gifts for needy students donated by people in the community.

The thieves also broke into Playmates Daycare right across the street from the Elementary school. Here they broke through windows and also ransacked through different areas.

So far folks at Playmates and the Wayne Adult Education Office, also hit, can't seem to find anything missing. However the Buffalo Middle school is a different story.

"Mostly laptop computers some monitors keyboards mostly computer related items," recalls John Waugaman, Principal Buffalo Middle.

The total price tag of computers taken is over eight thousand dollars.

The thieves also broke out windows, tore up cabinets and stole change boxes from vending machines and pencil machines.

And while detectives have evidence by way of security cameras and fingerprints...the investigation could be lengthy.

"I would say we're looking at 2 or 3 different groups but all the people working together," said Detective Douglas Thompson, Wayne County Sheriff Department.

Detective Thompson says he believes it's possible they're the same group that hit these schools before and could be responsible for thefts from three other Wayne County schools in recent weeks. He says Spring Valley Vocational School had nearly $30,000 in tools taken recently. While both Lavalette and Wayne schools also reported recent break-ins.

The Wayne School Board Safety Office handed over security video to Wayne detectives.

WASHINGTON COMPUTER STOLEN Police reports:

Office break-in

Nov. 18 — A woman called deputies after she found her office window smashed and her laptop computer stolen. The computer was valued at $2,000.

MASSACHUSETTS (UPDATE) COMPUTERS STOLEN More charges expected in office break-ins - Boxford, MA - Tri-Town Transcript:

More charges expected in office break-ins
By David Rogers/drogers@cnc.com
Wed Nov 26, 2008, 10:43 AM EST

Middleton - A Lynn man with a lengthy criminal record was arrested last Wednesday morning outside the Candlelite Motel carrying a garbage bag full of stolen computer equipment, Middleton Police said.

Jason Gainley, 38, 916 Main St., Waltham, was charged with receiving stolen property worth more than $250. But Middleton Police Sgt. Gayle Hayley said Gainley may soon be charged with nighttime breaking and entering as he is believed to have broken into three offices on 14 South Main St. sometime last Tuesday.

“This is not his first b-and-e,” Hayley said.

Also arrested in connection with the break-ins were Kristen Bell, 27, 103 Liberty St., Lynn; Donny Rondon, 20, 20 Henry Ave., Lynn; and a 14-year-old juvenile. They were charged with receivings tolen property worth more than $250. The three others were arrested later Wednesday at the Candlelite Motel as they tried to get into a taxi.

Hayley said police believe Gainley broke into the Essex County Correctional Officers Association, the Prestige Insurance Agency and another office. Hayley said Gainley ransacked all three offices in the process.

In addition to computers, police found cell phones, laptops and several checks belonging to the correctional officers association. Hayley said police are still working on a complete list of stolen items but said Gainley made off with more than $10,000 worth of equipment and checks.

The owner of Prestige Insurance, who did not want to be identified, said the thief disregarded more expensive items such as scanners and concentrated on other piece of equipment.

“They just grabbed computers and monitors,” the owner said.

The owner said she came to work last Wednesday morning to find her office is disarray. Equipment had been smashed to the ground and papers were strewn everywhere.

“It could have been a lot worse. I could have been here myself,” she said.

A wallet belonging to the owner was also found in Gainley’s possession, police said.

Hayley said police were alerted to Gainley after receiving a call from a Candlelite Motel employee around 5 a.m. who reported someone was trying to break into the Banana Cabana bar, at the far end of the South Main Street motel.

Gainley had checked into the motel recently and was staying with Bell, Rondon and the 14-year-old juvenile, according to Hayley.

Investigating the scene, Middleton Police spotted Gainley outside his motel room waiting for a ride with the bag of stolen items. He was then arrested, Hayley said.

OHIO COMPUTER STOLEN Columbus Local News: New Albany News > Police Beat > Computer, accessories stolen in High Street burglary:

Computer, accessories stolen in High Street burglary
POLICE BEAT
Published: Wednesday, November 26, 2008 7:08 AM EST

A computer and its accessories were stolen in a burglary at a North High Street business, New Albany police reported.

The break-in took place sometime between 5:30 p.m. Nov. 12 and 8:30 a.m. Nov. 13, reports said, with entry to the business gained through an unlocked rear window.

OHIO COMPUTERS STOLEN Columbus Local News: Olentangy Valley News > Police Beat > Fishing gear, GPS unit stolen in Lewis Center break-in:

Two computers, a microwave oven and a video game console, together valued at $2,809, were reported stolen between 8:35 a.m. and 5 p.m. Nov. 13 in the 5100 block of Butts Road in Powell.

OHIO COMPUTER STOLEN Columbus Local News: > Archives > Reynoldsburg News > Police Beat > Garage window gives access to intruder who took computer:

Garage window gives access to intruder who took computer
POLICE BEAT
Published: Tuesday, November 25, 2008 6:05 PM EST
Text Size
Several items were reported to the Reynoldsburg police as having been stolen in a breaking and entering that occurred between 10:45 a.m. and 5:20 p.m. Nov. 20 in the 6400 block of Penick Drive.

The items included a laptop computer, valued at $1,499; a watch, valued at $600; a pocket watch, valued at $400; and a ring of unknown value.

Police reports said the house involved had been entered through a broken window in the garage, then an unlocked door to the residence.

The driver's side window of a vehicle was reported smashed sometime before 9:45 a.m. Nov. 16 in the 1300 block of Hanson Street.

TEXAS COMPUTER STOLEN KCBD, NewsChannel 11 Lubbock |Soldier's Computer Stolen, Wants Pictures Back:
11/25/08
Soldier's Computer Stolen, Wants Pictures Back

Posted: Nov 25, 2008 11:32 PM

A computer is stolen, but it's more than just a missing machine for one woman who was awarded a Purple Heart. The computer held thousands of pictures of a soldier's tour of the desert.

Virginia Caballero's apartment was burglarized last Friday. The thief took a commonly stolen item - her blue Toshiba laptop. But on that computer were pictures of each step of Caballero's tour of Iraq, including snapshots of her being awarded the Purple Heart after being shot in action.

"It has sentimental value, and that all the pictures I have from my tour in Iraq are in this computer and backups are in the thumb drives. Everything was taken together and now I have no pictures to remind me of everything we did in Iraq," said Caballero.

But Caballero says she's not concerned about the computer, just the pictures. She's offering a personal cash reward for the return of the computer or the seven flash drives in the laptop's carrying case. If you have any information on this case, please call Crime Line at 741-1000.

ONTARIO COMPUTER STOLEN Chatham Daily News - Ontario, CA:

Computer stolen from office

A COMPUTER WAS stolen from an office at the Holiday Harbour Resort on Pier Road in Romney Township. Chatham-Kent police said unknown suspects entered the office sometime over the weekend. Call Const. Rick Bertok at 519-436-6600 ext. 87174 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS with information.

UK STOLEN COMPUTER RECOVERED BBC NEWS | England | Bristol | Officers recover stolen computer:

Officers recover stolen computer

Police in Bath used property marking to find a stolen laptop when they executed a search warrant.

Officers searched the address following reports of stolen property being brought to the premises.

Police examined the laptop with a UV light and found it had been property marked and had been stolen from a recent burglary in the Twerton area.

Pc Adrian Secker said: 'Marking your property is a simple and most effective way of protecting your possessions.'

Two people were arrested after the find.

ALABAMA COMPUTERS STOLEN Auburn police reports | Opelika-Auburn News

Burglary of a nonresidence and theft from a public building were reported Monday at Funchess Hall on South College Street after someone took a laptop computer between noon Aug. 20 and noon Friday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Monday at Windover Farms Trailer Park on Lee Road 12 after someone took a TV, a laptop computer and cash and damaged a door between 1 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Monday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Monday on Taleeda Court after someone took a laptop computer and damaged a door between 10:30 a.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Monday at Windover Farms Trailer Park on Lee Road 12 after someone took a TV, an Xbox 360, two wireless controllers, a ring and a laptop computer and damaged a door between 5 p.m. Friday and 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Monday on Lee Road 20 after someone damaged a window and blinds and took a TV, a monitor, a desktop computer and a rifle between 7:30 a.m. and 5:20 p.m.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Monday on Bragg Avenue after someone took a TV and a laptop computer and damaged a door between 9:15 and 10:15 p.m.

FLORIDA COMPUTERS STOLEN Police reports from local municipalities - Northwest Miami-Dade - MiamiHerald.com

• DORAL

A burglar stole a laptop computer after forcing open an apartment door in the 7300 block of Northwest 114th Avenue between 8:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Nov. 12. The laptop was valued at $759.67. Damage was estimated at $100.

• MIAMI SPRINGS

A thief stole two computers from a car in the parking lot of Office Depot, 3600 NW 42nd Ave., between 2:30 and 3:15 p.m. Oct. 29. The computers were valued at $1800.

• ACADIA PARK AREA

A burglar stole a computer, Rolex watch, Seiko watch and handgun after breaking a bedroom window at a house in the 19600 block of Northwest 58th Avenue between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Oct. 31. The items were valued at $16,600.

A burglar stole a laptop computer, a desktop computer, two cameras and a Nintendo from an unlocked house in the 7600 block of Northwest 178th Terrace between 1 and 9:10 p.m. Oct. 30. The items were valued at $1,840.

UTAH COMPUTERS STOLEN Thief may have sensitive material from Weber State - Standard.NET - Standard-Examiner:

Thief may have sensitive material from Weber State

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

OGDEN -- Weber State University is notifying nearly 70 members of the campus community that their personal information may have been compromised in a recent theft.

Campus police are investigating a break-in that occurred in the Shepherd Union Building mail center sometime between 2 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Friday, according to a university news release Tuesday. Thieves made off with approximately $1,600 in cash, three computers and a postal scale. Physical, hard-copy records of post office box rental cards also were stolen . Some of those contained names, addresses and Social Security numbers for members of the campus community who rent post office boxes in the union. WSU computer security managers said the stolen computers do not have any sensitive information stored on them.

The news release said officials have identified 69 individuals whose information was stolen. The university is contacting those individuals directly this week to alert them to the theft and provide guidance about steps they can take to prevent and respond to identity theft. Anyone who has rented a post office box from the Shepherd Union Building mail center in the past eight years is encouraged to contact the university at security@weber.edu or 626-8080.

UK GOVERNMENT COMPUTERS STOLEN Lost by the MoD – 200 computers and memory sticks - Scotsman.com News:


Lost by the MoD – 200 computers and memory sticks



Published Date: 25 November 2008
By EMILY ASHTON

ALMOST 200 memory sticks, desktop computers, laptops and hard drives were lost this year alone by the Ministry of Defence, a minister said last night.

Some 74 media storage devices were also stolen this year, the junior defence minister Kevan Jones said.

He said that from 1 January to 5 November 2008, losses included 59 memory sticks, 62 laptops, four desktop PCs and 72 hard drives. Stolen items listed for the same period were six memory sticks, 58 laptops, eight desktops and two hard drives.

Mr Jones told MPs ministers took loss of storage devices 'very seriously'.

Since 2003, 866 laptops have been stolen from the MoD, with 178 laptops reported lost. Some 157 desktop computers were stolen over the last five years and seven were lost.

The number of hard drives reported lost this year – 72 – is the highest for the department since records began in 2003.

In total, 145 hard drives have been lost from the MoD since 2003 and 33 have been stolen.

Last month, a hard drive with the private details of 100,000 armed forces personnel went missing from the department.

MASSACHUSETTS COMPUTER STOLEN Cash, computer stolen in Methuen housebreak - EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA:

Cash, computer stolen in Methuen housebreak
By Jim Patten
jpatten@eagletribune.com

METHUEN — Burglars smashed the window in a rear door to get inside a Pilgrim Circle home Sunday morning and left with a laptop computer and $5,000 cash, police said.

Officers were sent to the home at 10:43 a.m. Sunday, where a resident told them she had gone to work out about 8:45 a.m. and returned home about 10:20 a.m., and found her Gateway laptop was missing from her room, her bureau drawers had been gone through, and items were tossed around the room, police said.

She told police $5,000 in cash in a Tupperware container was taken from under her bed.

The case was forwarded to the detective division for further investigation, police said.

WASHINGTON COMPUTER STOLEN Missing laptop puts Starbucks workers' data at risk:

Missing laptop puts Starbucks workers' data at risk
Company says computer was stolen last month

By DAN RICHMAN
P-I REPORTER

Starbucks Corp. confirmed Monday that a laptop containing private information on 97,000 employees was stolen Oct. 29.

The information included names, addresses and Social Security numbers, according to an undated memo addressed to affected employees.

"We are writing to inform you of a recent incident that may have involved a breach of your private information," said the memo, which was posted at Starbucksgossip.com and was verified as authentic by Starbucks spokeswoman Deb Trevino on Monday.

"The private information of approximately 97,000 U.S. Partners, including yours, was stored on this laptop. At present, we have no indication that the private information has been misused," the memo said.

It also asked affected employees to monitor their financial accounts for suspicious activity and to take appropriate steps to protect against potential identity theft. It offered free assistance from credit service Equifax Inc., of Atlanta, which provides an early warning of any changes to an individual's credit file.

This isn't the first time a Starbucks laptop has gone missing. In November 2006, the company said it was unable to find four out-of-use laptops at its headquarters.

They contained the names, addresses and Social Security numbers of 50,000 former and 10,000 then-current employees. The Seattle-based company waited two months to disclose the problem while an internal investigation was completed to try to find the computers.

P-I reporter Dan Richman can be reached at 206-448-8032 or danrichman@seattlepi.com.

CALIFORNIA COMPUTER SECURITY Foil laptop thieves with a text message | Crave - CNET:

November 24, 2008 12:24 PM PST
Foil laptop thieves with a text message

This article was corrected at 2 p.m. PT to reflect the proper spelling of Cannady's name.

An SMS message can be a powerful thing when it comes to laptop security.

There are a considerable number of security measures available to companies to protect their valuable data on employee hard drives. Self-encrypting hard drives and security software are touted as the latest solutions, but the PC has to be turned off for the data to be secured by encryption. If a notebook is stolen while in hibernation mode, or even while the operating system is fully loaded, there's a higher risk of data being exposed.

That's where Lenovo says its new text-message-based remote disable software comes in. Using Phoenix Technologies' system, any Montevina-based Lenovo machine that's equipped with WWAN (wireless wide area network) can be paired with a cell phone.

If a laptop is stolen, the phone that's paired with it can send a text message instantly with some predetermined message, like "Shut down computer" or "At my signal, unleash hell." Whatever you want, really.

The computer will shut down, and from there the self-encrypting hard drive will take over to lock down the computer's data.

"It's becoming better understood that having the encryption is not necessarily enough," said Stacy Cannady, Lenovo's product manager for security. "This is kind of like a morning-after pill, I guess."

Remote disable is free for Lenovo customers with Montevina-based laptops through a BIOS (basic input/output system) update from Lenovo sometime during the next one to three months.

Free is good especially since it's not a service Lenovo can entirely guarantee itself. The success of the remote disable command depends entirely on the viability of the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) wireless network the computer is connected to at the time and that network's ability to receive SMS messages.

In other words, if the computer is out of cellular range, then you're out of luck.

MARYLAND (UPDATE) COMPUTERS STOLEN Stolen laptops held data of 1,300 state employees -- baltimoresun.com:

Stolen laptops held data of 1,300 state employees

By Nick Madigan | nick.madigan@baltsun.com
November 22, 2008

Police are investigating the theft of two laptop computers containing the names and Social Security numbers of more than 1,300 people formerly employed by the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The laptops were reported stolen from the state office building at 300 W. Preston St. in Baltimore on Nov. 12, a spokesman for the MDE, Robert Ballinger, said in a statement yesterday.

The Maryland Department of General Services police, which is investigating the theft, has no evidence that personal data were retrieved or misused.

Still, officials are trying to notify, by mail or e-mail, the 1,367 individuals who worked at the environmental agency from January 2000 through October 2006 and whose names and Social Security numbers were on the computers.

Ballinger said that because some of the information is more than eight years old, officials may not have current addresses for everyone on the list.

The Department of Information Technology has created a Web site, http://doit.maryland.gov/mdealert, for individuals who are concerned that their information might have been on one of the stolen computers.

The department has also set up a phone number and e-mail address for the same purpose: 410-260-7778 and servicedesk@doit.state.md.us.

ALABAMA COMPUTERS STOLEN Auburn police reports | Opelika-Auburn News:


Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Friday on Sanders Street after someone took a laptop computer between 8:15 and 9:45 p.m.


Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Sunday on Samantha Court after someone took a Wii with two remotes and two steering wheels, a Sony PlayStation 3, two games and a laptop computer and damaged a doorframe between 4:45 p.m. Saturday and 4:10 a.m. Sunday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Sunday at Madison Park Condos on Wire Road after someone took a TV and a laptop computer and damaged a door between noon Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.

Burglary of a residence and theft were reported Sunday on Taleeda Court after someone took a laptop computer between 4 and 7 p.m.

OKLAHOMA COMPUTERS STOLEN The Durant Daily Democrat > News > Thefts result in loss of tools, computers:

Thefts result in loss of tools, computers

Published:

Monday, November 24, 2008 10:48 AM CST

Patrolman Bryan R. Moore was dispatched to Price’s Printing on 401 N. 3rd Ave. at 12:30 p.m. Sunday in reference to a burglary. Chris Allen said someone had gained entry into the business by kicking open the back door and then took several items, including two computer monitors, a MacIntosh computer tower and a 13-inch color television, according to Moore’s report.


Allen said the burglary occurred some time between 3 p.m. Saturday and 12:20 p.m. Sunday. A footprint that appeared to be from a Nike Shoe was located, according to the report. The total loss from theft is $2,720, according to Moore’s report.

MASSACHUSETTS COMPUTERS STOLEN On the beat - Plymouth, MA - Wicked Local Plymouth:

Oak Street break-in

PLYMOUTH – A burglary victim will face charges after reporting the theft of an unregistered handgun.

Police said the 42-year-old Oak Street resident will be charged with possession of a firearm without a license.

Acting Capt. Victor Higgins said the man reported the theft of a .25 caliber Raven handgun during a break-in Thursday. The man had an old license for the weapon, but it had expired.

The gun was stolen from a locked safe. A computer and printer were also stolen. The burglar broke into the house by smashing in an air conditioning unit.

Computer theft

PLYMOUTH – Police charged a Brockton man with stealing computers from a store in Colony Place Thursday.

Daniel C. Walker, 43, of 33 West Elm St., Apt. 314, faces a single charge of larceny of more than $250.

Acting Capt. Victor Higgins said Walker was caught walking out of the store with two personal computers at 1:31 p.m. Later Thursday, an unidentified man succeeded in walking away from another store in the plaza with two new vacuum cleaners. Witnesses got a license plate of the man’s car and police are investigating.

FLORIDA COMPUTERS STOLEN Mandarin Sun: Man's attacker remains at large:


Office at 3750 San Jose Place - Five computers, five video monitors, a laptop computer and two expired credit cards valued together at $7,005, plus $350 in cash were stolen between 6 p.m. Nov. 12 and 7:21 a.m. the next day after someone pried open a door and went into various offices.

MINNESOTA COMPUTER EQUIPMENT STOLEN FROM RED CROSS Pantagraph.com | News | Computer equipment stolen from Red Cross:

Computer equipment stolen from Red Cross
By Pantagraph staff

BLOOMINGTON — Theft of computer equipment from the American Red Cross of the Heartland late Thursday or early Friday did not have an impact on Red Cross services to the public, Red Cross spokesman Scott Vogel said Friday.

Vogel said a rock was thrown through a window at 1 Westport Court and three laptop computers, two flat screen monitors, a projector and computer bag were taken in addition to a digital camera. Vogel didn’t have a value for the stolen items.

“The window is boarded up and secured and we’re moving forward,” he said.

NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTER THEFT AT GOVERNMENT AGENCY Agency fails to preventidentity theft | BlueRidgeNow.com | Times-News Online | Hendersonville, NC

Agency fails to prevent<0x000a>identity theft

Published: Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 6:30 p.m.

It's a good thing the state Department of Health and Human Services doesn't run the prisons. DHHS just might hand the inmates the keys to the cellblock doors.

The DHHS is not on prison duty, fortunately. It has, nonetheless, managed to create a security problem all its own.

By failing to safeguard its laptop computers, the agency, and some of its employees, have handed potential data thieves a key to stealing Social Security numbers and other personal information. This has happened even though DHHS was warned of the danger and pledged to make its laptops secure.

Instead, encryption technology that would protect Social Security numbers stored on DHHS laptops has yet to be installed on all of them (officials yesterday pledged action by Thursday). In recent months, employees have taken unencrypted laptops out of DHHS offices, exposing them to loss or theft.

The lack of encryption is particularly inexcusable because the agency admits that a dozen DHHS laptops have been lost or stolen so far this year. With the computers themselves so alarmingly insecure, it should be mandatory that the information stored on them is not.

Also, employees who take unencrypted state-owned computers out of the office after they've been told not to should be disciplined or dismissed.

Here's why: The most recently stolen laptop contained data on about 85,000 people, including thousands of Social Security numbers.

The computer had a password, but those can be broken. Because its files were not encrypted those numbers could be extracted and sold to criminals.

The result could be wholesale identity theft, with financial misfortune and seemingly endless hassles for the innocent people involved.

Although that probably won't happen - most laptop thieves are after a quick resale on the street - it could. So the state will pay more than $25,000 to arrange credit fraud alerts for citizens whose private data was in the laptop.

Costly insurance, and an embarrassment. The DHHS had agreed back in April that it would comply with encryption standards for state agencies. After the recent theft in Atlanta it conceded that it hasn't fully done so, citing cost and logistical difficulties.

Commenting on that theft, the state's chief information officer, George Bakolia, says flatly that "Failure to encrypt the hard drive on the laptop was a violation of state security standards."

To put it mildly, there's been insufficient follow-through on a matter of basic, computer-age public safety. This may not rank with opening the prison doors, but it comes close. The DHHS and all other state agencies that store vulnerable information on laptops need to lock that data up tight, right now.

- News & Observer

ALABAMA COMPUTERS STOLEN Crimes reported to MPD | montgomeryadvertiser.com | Montgomery Advertiser:

November 23, 2008

A home in the 3800 block of Liberty Square was broken into sometime between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday and jewelry and two computers were stolen.

NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTERS STOLEN Thief steals safe, electronics from store - Police | Reflector.com:

Thief steals safe, electronics from store


The Daily Reflector

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Someone pried open metal siding at The Fixture House, 3214 S. Memorial Drive, before stealing a floor safe containing an undisclosed amount of cash, credit cards and checks, two computers worth $800 each and three flat screen monitors worth $1,300 combined between Thursday and Friday.

The robber also inflicted thousands of dollars in damage to the building and register equipment, according to the police report.

VIRGINIA COMPUTERS STOLEN Staunton man charged with computer thefts | newsleader.com | The News Leader:
Staunton man charged with computer thefts

STAUNTON — A Staunton man accused in the theft of five laptop computers from the Staunton Wal-Mart on Richmond Road was arrested Thursday and charged with grand larceny, Staunton police said.

Eric Curry, 38, is accused of placing the computers inside a bag April 15 and leaving the store. Employees at the store were unable to read the suspect’s license plate number, but identified the car as a silver Isuzu.

According to Staunton police, on Sept. 19 surveillance video at the Richmond Road store shows Curry returning to the establishment and checking the lock on a computer display case. Police said he left the store and went to the Waynesboro Wal-Mart on Lucy Lane that same day, where he reportedly checked a computer display lock at that store. Employees were able to obtain the license number to Curry’s silver Isuzu, police said, leading to his arrest.

Virginia State Police assisted in the investigation.

Curry is free on bond.

ILLINOIS COMPUTERS STOLEN WIU crime report - Macomb, IL - Macomb Journal:

On Nov. 19 at 4:29 p.m. a student reported the theft of his laptop computer between
3:25-3:30 p.m. from the Thompson Hall second floor men's study lounge.

On Nov. 19 at 11:12 a.m. a student reported the theft of his laptop computer between
7-11 a.m. from the third floor Wetzel Hall lounge. Value of the computer was listed as $800.

OHIO COMPUTER STOLEN Computer stolen from Lancaster home | lancastereaglegazette.com | Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

Computer stolen from Lancaster home

November 20, 2008

LANCASTER — A $500 blue Toshiba laptop computer was stolen from a home in the 300 block of Maud Avenue.

Someone entered the victim’s home between 6 p.m. Sunday and 6 p.m. Tuesday and took the computer from the victim’s bedroom.

She doesn’t believe it was taken by a stranger, according to a report from the Lancaster Police Department.

NORTH CAROLINA COMPUTER STOLEN Local: Personal information of 70 people stolen from tax office | information, tax, police : ENCToday:

Personal information of 70 people stolen from tax office
November 21, 2008 - 8:05 PM
Sun Journal Staff
Sun Journal

New Bern police say a computer stolen from a tax-preparation business in the city this week contains identity information of about 70 people.

The computer was stolen from B.J. Accessories and Tax Preparation on Neuse Boulevard. The business shares a building with Platinum Angel Hair Design on the 3000th block of the street.

An officer found the front glass door of the hair salon shattered Thursday morning. The owner of the salon said nothing was missing from that business.

Police are still investigating the theft, and had no suspects as of Friday night.

The owner of the tax-preparation business has been told to notify clients about a possible breech of their personal information.

'Anyone who believes their personal information has been stolen should immediately notify police in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred,' said police spokeswoman Beth Stevenson. 'They should also place a fraud alert with any of the three major credit-reporting agencies.'

Those credit-reporting agencies are Equifax, Experion and TransUnion.

Victims should also file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, she said.

The following Web sites provide more information about identity theft and fraud:

www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/.

www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ (on-line complaint form).

www.fdic.gov/consumers/theft/index.html.

FLORIDA COMPUTER STOLEN Florida Gators sophomore QB Cameron Newton arrested after allegations of stolen laptop:

Florida Gators sophomore QB Cameron Newton arrested after allegations of stolen laptop

GAINESVILLE, Fla., Nov 21, 2008 (The Orlando Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune News Service via COMTEX) --

University of Florida police arrested Gators sophomore quarterback Cameron Newton on Friday afternoon for felony charges of burglary, larceny and intimidating a witness, informant or victim, according to Alachua County jail records.

Newton has been suspended from the team, according to football team spokesman Steve McClain.
Newton allegedly stole a laptop from a Florida student's dorm room and then threw it out of his window when University Police Department officers visited Newton's dorm, according to the UPD arrest report. He was booked at 2:25 p.m. after the alleged burglary was reported on Oct. 16, according to the report.

Police found out via the university's computer network that someone had logged onto the student-friendly Gatorlink system with the laptop under the identification "cnewton," according to the report.

Newton, 19, signed a waiver Friday allowing the police to view the computer in his dorm room, which appeared to have been painted black and had the spelling "Cam Newton" in white painted letters on the lid, according to the report. The serial number from the computer in Newton's dorm matched all but one of the seven digits from the code the UF student said belonged to his estimated $1,700 computer, according to the report.

The officers stepped away from Newton's room to call and ask the student if the serial numbers matched, but the computer was gone when they returned to Newton's room, according to the report. The computer was later found by a garbage dumpster outside of the Springs Complex, where Newton lived on the third floor, according to the report.

Newton - the fourth Gator to face legal trouble in the 2008 calendar year - is a medical redshirt candidate who hasn't played since the season opener against Hawaii because of an ankle injury.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO East, February 2-4, 2009. Miami, Florida.