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iBook Stolen! :O


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iBook Stolen! :O
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ROFISH
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
 
2006-02-09, 10:54

Does Apple provide any sort of assistance to recovering a stolen iBook? I have the serial number and MAC addresses (it's on the side of the box I still have).

The only thing the local police did is put it in the database of stolen items. They're not willing to help unless I have a suspect.
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Yontsey
*AD SPACE FOR SALE*
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Cleveland-ish, OH
 
2006-02-09, 10:56

How exactly was it stolen?
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mickey.herman
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
 
2006-02-09, 11:56

That is a very important thing you should know, if it was at school they can narrow it down.
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arnoct
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2006-02-09, 12:14

omg hi ROFISH :S

Yeah, I was wondering this as well for when I finally purchase an ibook/macbook. Considering you have a serial number/mac number shouldn't apple be able to do something?
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ROFISH
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
 
2006-02-09, 13:33

Quote:
Originally Posted by mickey.herman
That is a very important thing you should know, if it was at school they can narrow it down.
Too bad the university police is only willing to search if I have a suspect.

I left it (as well as tons of other expensive stuff like a nice HDTV) in an open public room (silly me) for only two hours. When I came back, the door was closed (it never is), locked (it never is), and there was pieces of paperclip stuck inside the lock. I couldn't get inside for a few days, and when I did, I found the iBook was missing. (I knew exactly where it was, it was hooked to my PC.)

Somehow only the iBook was gone. Nothing else was missing.

PS: zomg hi sling!
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spikeh
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
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2006-02-09, 15:37

Hope you had it insured
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Luca
ಠ_ರೃ
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2006-02-09, 15:46

Wow, you left it for ONLY TWO HOURS?

I'm very sorry you lost your iBook, but I can't say I feel especially sympathetic for you right now. I work at a library at a university and people are so stupid about leaving their stuff out. I mean, until now I thought a typical dumb move was to leave your backpack (with a laptop or wallet inside) unattended during a 2-4 minute bathroom break. We've had two wallets and one laptop stolen in recent memory from people doing stuff like that.

Leaving "tons of other expensive stuff" in an unlocked area for two whole hours transcends the boundries I had formed in my head regarding theft. I'm amazed more stuff wasn't stolen.
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spikeh
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: UK
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2006-02-09, 15:49

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
Wow, you left it for ONLY TWO HOURS?
More to the point, in an unattended common room with a door that is never closed or locked!
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Partial
Stallion
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Milwaukee
 
2006-02-09, 16:49

steal someone elses.

problem solved!
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Artap99
Totally awesome.
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
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2006-02-09, 16:52

Quote:
Originally Posted by tensdanny38
steal someone elses.

problem solved!
Agreed.
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ghoti
owner for sale by house
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Charlotte, NC
 
2006-02-09, 16:59

This is a weird story. Why would the thief lock the door (even with a paperclip), and why does it take a few days to get in there? Also, was that other expensive stuff mounted to walls or something (I'm thinking especially of the HDTV)? That would explain why the thief took the most mobile valuable thing.
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murbot
Hoonigan
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canada
 
2006-02-09, 17:19

I was going to call you a dummy. But that's an insult, so I won't.
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Windswept
On Pacific time
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Moderator's Pub
 
2006-02-09, 18:19

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghoti
This is a weird story. Why would the thief lock the door (even with a paperclip), and why does it take a few days to get in there?
By locking the door *and* putting paper clips in the lock, the thief made sure that as much time as possible would lapse before the theft was discovered.

Clips wedged in the lock made sure that an ordinary custodian with a master key wouldn't be able to open the door, but would require the special services of the university locksmith - again, insuring maximum delay and passage of time, and increasing his odds of getting away with his crime.

God, I just really, really despise thieves.

Oh, and it can start amazingly early too, as evidenced by activities of jr. high girl gangs:

8th grade theft ring - three 8th grade girls stand in front of, and flirt with, some shy 8th grade guy who's wearing his backpack on his back. He is completely *distracted* (age-old pickpocket technique ) and flattered by all this unaccustomed flirtation, smiling friendliness, and maybe even hugs on the part of these girls. Meanwhile, around back, two other girls are quietly unzipping his backpack and stealing anything worth taking, including iPods and cellphones.

Does anyone else get outraged by this kind of stuff? Like I said, I just hate thieves. I think they're the scum of the earth.
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Oompa Loompa
Awaiting Email Confirmation
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Lovely Loompaland
 
2006-02-09, 19:01

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
Wow, you left it for ONLY TWO HOURS?

I'm very sorry you lost your iBook, but I can't say I feel especially sympathetic for you right now. I work at a library at a university and people are so stupid about leaving their stuff out. I mean, until now I thought a typical dumb move was to leave your backpack (with a laptop or wallet inside) unattended during a 2-4 minute bathroom break. We've had two wallets and one laptop stolen in recent memory from people doing stuff like that.

Leaving "tons of other expensive stuff" in an unlocked area for two whole hours transcends the boundries I had formed in my head regarding theft. I'm amazed more stuff wasn't stolen.
'I can't say I feel especially sympathetic', 'people are so stupid', 'typical dumb move'... you are generous today!
I would absolutely feel devestated when I would lose all of my private stuff... no matter how stupid I was leaving it behind... even when you are 'clever' about it, things get stolen.

Last edited by Oompa Loompa : 2006-02-09 at 19:08.
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Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-02-09, 20:04

Yo! Darwin!
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ROFISH
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
 
2006-02-09, 22:08

Can we get rid of the 'ha-ha' and talk about possible ways of recovering the iBook? Such as Apple might be able to take some kind of ID and know the time and IP address of when it asks for the autoupdate or something?
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PB PM
Sneaky Punk
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Vancouver, BC
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2006-02-09, 22:16

Apple will not and cannot do it. People have asked in the past, and Apple basicly states it your problem / up to the Police to find it.
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Banana
is the next Chiquita
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
 
2006-02-09, 22:25

IP address isn't bound to a computer.

The only way you could get would require assistance of univ's IT. If you know your lappy's airport or ethernet card MAC, you could ask them to look for it on the network, but that's assuming the thief isn't also a geek and hasn't sold it.

Good luck.
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arnoct
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2006-02-10, 06:05

Considering they only stole the iBook there may be a good chance it'll be on the network still. Perhaps ask around your floor to see if anyone saw anything?
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ROFISH
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
 
2006-02-10, 13:16

Quote:
Originally Posted by arnoct
Considering they only stole the iBook there may be a good chance it'll be on the network still. Perhaps ask around your floor to see if anyone saw anything?
Nope, everybody was gone, and nobody has any clue. And it can't be on the network as we have bandwidth quotas and I can personally see if it hits.
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Maciej
M AH - ch ain saw
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2006-02-10, 16:30

Check ebay. I've heard of people tracking things down like that.
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Squozen
New Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
 
2006-02-11, 18:22

If you get IP addresses assigned via DHCP, the network admin could check logs for evidence of your machine's MAC address and track it down to the physical location. If not, I hope you had insurance.
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