Gadling

Product review - Computrace LoJack for laptops {Gadling}

Oct 10th 2008 11:30AM Before I respond to the comment by #4, Karl, let me fully disclose that I am the director of customer relations at STOP - Security Tracking of Office Property (www.stoptheft.com). I have been employed at STOP for almost 10 years.

Sorry, Karl, I just can't let your comment hang out there, because it reveals that you are not fully aware of how the STOP System works.

Simply placing "some sort of sticker or label like a sports team or something" could possibly defeat the STOP System, but only for the dumbest of the dumb potential victims/buyers, in which case I don't believe anything prevention measure would be effective. It would be impossible to effectively hide either the rigid aluminum STOP Security Plate (.020" thick), or the patented "STOLEN PROPERTY" tattoo that is hidden beneath the Plate and remains permanently bonded to the equipment if the Plate is removed.

And removing either the STOP Security Plate or the patented tattoo would leave behind sufficient enough mess and damage on the surface of the equipment to make MOST (not all) potential buyers suspicious. Indeed, the primary objective of the STOP System is to prevent theft by eliminating illicit resale value. And it does that quite effectively. As someone who personally answers recovery and ownership verification calls 24/7, I can attest that our permanent marking system works. After all, I've been with STOP for 10 years, so I guess I believe in our system!

Just a couple days ago I took a call on our recovery hotline from a Good Samaritan who was given a laptop by a neighbor but became suspicious when she saw the "STOLEN PROPERTY" tattoo. When I checked our database and found it by the serial number provided, this machine had indeed been reported stolen from a vehicle. The corporate owner is retrieving this laptop as I write.

Of course, the system isn't perfect. No system is. Still, at the one-time $25.00 fee, with lifetime, transferable service, it's a wise investment, given the cost of a laptop, and the cost and aggravation of replacing one that's lost or stolen. And, clients who purchase our Security Plates in quantities of 500+ pay $8.75 per unit, which provides an excellent return on corporate/enterprise investments, as well as demonstrates that the enterprise is doing its diligent best to protect investors' or taxpayers' dollars.

As for your recommendation for the LoJack software concept, again you seem to indicate a lack of understanding. Any discussion on laptop security must begin with theft prevention, and not recovery. Software tracking solutions are based on the concept of "steal me and I'll try to find you," while locks and permanent ID marking systems simply say "don't steal me!" Or, at least they say "go steal something else that will be easier to resell without calling attention to you."

Tracking software is a great backup solution for recovering a stolen laptop. But the recovery process isn't easy: first, you must connect a physical address to the IP address that the stolen laptop is reporting (not always easy, especially if a laptop logs in through a dynamic IP, say through AOL or Earthlink, for example); then, once you locate the address or general vicinity attached to the IP address, you must obtain a search warrant and then motivate the local law enforcement to retrieve the stolen laptop...if it's still at the location.

That said, prevention should always be the first course of action.

Laptop theft's a drag. Still, it's easier to STOP a thief than it is to catch one!

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Sincerely,
Doug Belfiore
STOP - Security Tracking of Office Property