Wifi and Laptops Adds Up To Theft

Ant writes to mention an SFGate article about the increase in laptop theft in the world of ubiquitous wifi. From the article: "San Francisco police statistics show a disturbing trend. Just 18 laptop computer robberies were logged in 2004, but the figure jumped to 48 last year. There were 18 as of the end of March, a pace that could surpass 70 crimes this year. 'It's a changing culture, and crime is following it'"

Now I understand!

[MyLongNickName]

In a recent speech Negropante [slashdot.org] said: "You see. When I said we were building $100 laptops for developing countries, you people assumed I meant Africa. What I was referring to was Caliifrnia. Have you been to some of the neighborhoods in LA? You can get killed for your shoes. In order to make it safer for folks in cities like San Fracisco where, let's face it, they cannot defned themselves, I developed this idea. Give them an etch-a-sketch interface, and an off brand of Linux, and NO self respecting thief would even bother.
Sure, thre will be the occasional bully who takes your cheap computer just to break it and watc you cry. That is life. But there will be no secondary market for these computers. EVAR!
I fully expect to win a Nobel for this."

That's it?

[cdrudge]

18, 48, and 70? In San Francisco? I would have guessed that number to be several times that.

Hmm...actually, for 2004, there was nearly 5 times as many murders as there were laptop thefts. Moral of the story is that if you carry a laptop, you are 5 times less likely to be murdered!

Re:Now I understand!

[MyLongNickName]

Please note that all typoes made in the above post were due to my typing on a $100 computer. The keyboard is attrocious.

FUD-Worth every penny.

[Anonymous Coward]

"Whenever you reveal in public something of particular worth, there's a possibility that some moron is going to attack you in the hopes of stealing it from you."

That's why I don't take my girlfriend out.

See my reasonably priced notebooks on EBay!

[InsMonkey]

Please check out my reasonably priced notebooks on EBay!

Re:Really? That's it?

[commodoresloat]

I don't see a group of thugs hanging out eagerly clicking away at their TPS reports.

Of course not.

They're working on the cover sheets.

Biometrics = increase in forced amputations!

[Itninja]

I have a Thinkpad (pre-Lenovo, so it'a good one) with wifi, and a biometric figerprint scanner. Can I assume that I am at a greater risk of being robbed and having my finger(s) cut off?

That would really be the only logical conclusion.

Re:There is a shopping center in the SF Bay Area

[Anonymous Coward]

Why are you bringing your laptop to the mall on your lunch break?

So I can find the mall, duh.

Re:FUD-Worth every penny.

[Anonymous Coward]

You're smart, my friend Mario went out with his once -- big mistake.

Re:Really? That's it?

[dubl-u]

SF itself houses only 744,230 (give or take).

And only circa 300,000 of them are in coffeeshops working on laptops at any one time.

Re:Cost of gas!

[nelsonal]

Everyone knows that it's the lack of pirates. Lacking their true career in naval piracy our potential pirates are forced to plunder laptops.

Re:Or it could just be...

[Fozzyuw]

none of these laptops where not locked up
Doh! I used a double negative. I hate when I self edit and miss the first negation!

Re:Not Likely For Low Value Crimes

[Nethead]

..the cops aren't likely to be hanging out at coffee joints..

So, where does your city find its cops hanging out? Around here (granted, it's the Seattle area) it's hard to find a coffee shop without a uniformed cop in it. And we have a fair shitload of coffee houses. Of course with our cops it's not a doughnut and a Farmer Brothers.. it's more like a grande Ethiopia Sidamo (soy, please) with a lemon bundt.

Re:Cost of gas!

[EZLeeAmused]

Just wait 'till the Intel based Apple computers come out. Then the pirates will be able to plunder "dual boot-y". Sorry. It's late.

Re:70 stolen laptops

[TrappedByMyself]

Maybe if the city would figure out a way to get the 14000 homeless people in San Francisco off the street, there would be less stolen laptops. Priorities, priorities, priorities.

Ahh, Soylent Green powered laptop fuel cells. Some problems just solve themselves.

Police don't like coffee?

[cryptor3]

Police budgets being what they are, the cops aren't likely to be hanging out at coffee joints

I don't know what universe you live in, where cops don't hang around at coffee joints...

Next thing you know, you'll be telling me that Homer Simpson doesn't like doughnuts.

mmmm. doughnuts.

Re:Robbery != Theft.

[Anonymous Coward]

Nah, it isn't theft. It's ownership infringement. Or strictly speaking Property Sharing. I'm not sure why the companies are so pissed with property sharing, after I shared some guy's laptop I went out and shared his car and his girlfriend.

Re:Now I understand!

[ceeam]

Oh, come on! There's a lot of experience with exactly this mode of operation in the target market.