Stolen Macbook Pro

Make sure your university knows all about the theft, and also get police involved. When two agencies compete, you get better results because they try to out do eachother. That said, don't expect them to hold a grand jury for your laptop. The best thing for you to do is to have your serial number handy and report it stolen. The police should have good tips on what to do after this. Based on similar stories, I think you've basically lost your laptop, and you'll have to buy one all over again Sorry.

Home policy

Your parents home policy might cover the loss...

My only advice is next time you should invest in some Mac Anti-Theft software such as Undercover.

http://www.orbicule.com/

Man, that really sucks. Theft in general is such a horrible thing to have happen, and having it happen to a MBP makes it only that much worse. However, there are a few things to remember before anything else.

* You weren't attacked, and thus harmed or killed, over it.
* At the end of the day, it's mostly replaceable. At least the MBP if not data.

Regarding your other questions, if you carry a renter's insurance policy they may cover theft, but I'm not sure if this involves group living situations such as dorms... and not many have renter's insurance. Contacting Apple will probably not do any good, at least according to Dateline. They theoretically could mark the serial number as stolen, see if it ever comes to the Genius bar, etc... but in reality they probably won't. And the thieves are usually wise enough to sell it way under valued and really quick...

Which leads me to the same thing I think you're thinking; Hit craigslist, ebay and other swap/sale sites to see if it shows up. There are always stories getting posted on Digg or Reddit about stolen laptops/ipods/cameras/bikes that the thief is outed by their stupidity. I can only suggest that you open up a non college email address to communicate with any of these sellers. Ask for photos! If your MBP has any distinguishing factors that would be helpful too.. Scratches, dead pixels, scuffs. Do you have the serial number written down somewhere? Did they make off with all the power cords and 'normal' accessories too?

It's good that you filed a report with the police. If you get somewhere in your own investigation (lets be honest, they aren't going to go out and look for our stolen gear) it's going to help tremendously if you need to make a call later. I'm optimistic about the craigslist leads! Post here and I'm sure there would be a bunch of people that could help out as much as they can...

GL, ab

Dang, I'm sorry to hear about that I'm heading off to college this fall, and my biggest worry is that a lot of envious hands will want my MBP. I'm definitely getting a kensington lock soon...

The same thing happened to me in 2004. stolen out of the dorm room, took the ipod too, lost an entire year of graphic design work, learned to back up! i live in new york city and was living at a city college, so obviously nothing was solved. i wish you better luck than i had; i feel your pain bro.

this is for your next mac

I would watch ebay and craigslist like a hawk. I would look at all the same macbook pros for sale and then narrow down based on location, quality of seller, and other factors.

If the thief sales it on ebay, you could contact the winning bidder and work with him/her, find out when it was being mailed, then contact the post office and the police and see what they say. Maybe they could intercept him at the campus post office trying to mail it one day. (very doubtful, I know)

Lots of possibilities.

sorry for the loss...if you have renters insurance that may cover it....its been a while, but I am fairly certain that you can get renters insurance for a dorm room at a relatively cheep price.

Wow, sorry to hear about your stolen MBP. I know a lot of college housing recommends you purchase some sort of property insurance. Quite frankly I don't see how you can expect Apple to help you track down your stolen notebook.

Apple can help, but they wont. They dont care if your stolen laptop comes in for repair, at least they didnt when i tried it 2x. All i could do is tell the police, and file a report and the police automatically reported it to the school that it was stolen. Have your airport mac id's ready also, as if that mac id logs in they can track it down. I got somewhat lucky because my parents home owners insurance covered my laptop (minus a 1grand deductable) so i mean it was better than nothing. I will invest in Orbicule Undercover or Low Jack when i get a job and actually move around.

Edit: Recovery possiblity if the theif is dumb, then maybe a little. If not then 0% (im kinda pessimistic when it comes to this stuff)

vansouza said:

Your parents home policy might cover the loss...

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I had my laptop stolen as a student. My home policy covered me as a student even though I was living out of the country up to a maximum of $10,000. Report to police then call insurance as they will need police case#.

Getting the Campus Police your MBP serial number is a good idea. If you have it, that's a great way to help idenitify your computer. My school has these little dot things you can buy, I think it's like $20 to get 10-12 dots and you put them on your electronics (they're teeny, like the size of a period at the end of a sentence) and they can really help track down stuff... don't know if they can help locate stolen items or if they just help determine that recovered items are yours, but it seems like possibly a good idea. Definitely serial number info is important.

My university had insurance of up to 3 grand - was more if there was a fire or something but it covered theft too. Only hard thing is proving that it really is stolen.

Did you register your MacBook Pro with Apple at all?

Stealing a computer is such a violation of a person. Computers are such personal items, often containing the most precious of data, thoughts, etc. Even if backed up, to know it is in the hands of someone else is disturbing. Not to mention the financial loss.

My heart goes out to you and I hope for the best for you. For all of the advantages of the laptop, the flip side is it is easy to snatch and run.

Let us know what happens.

Woof, Woof - Dawg

Sauron's Master said:

My laptop was recently stolen from my dorm room which was locked and there was no sign of forced entry. Although someone could probably use a credit card to open dorm doors, there have been several reported thefts in the building over the last few weeks. Police and university staff have been contacted.

What sort of insurance policy would potentially cover this loss? What are my real options for recovery? Will calling Apple at all or will they just be typically slothful about helping?

In my opinion, the people who took it knew exactly what they were looking for in what they took but were also rather unsophisticated in the theft in-general. Certain other valuable items were not taken even though they could be converted to cash just as easily.

I've been checking craigslist and I've noticed suspicious listing(s); any advice on how to follow up on them to check if they could be mine without tipping anyone off?

Advice in-general on this would be appreciated.

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I guess one could make something which mails the ip-address efter each reboot or so, but that might not help.

What about home insurrance?

Also maybe a kensington lock with it locked to something which isn't that easy to take away, like the heating, might had worked?

Or get a dremel or something and put your name / social security number / whatever it's called in your country on it.

ab2650: Over here in Sweden almost everyone got home insurrances I guess, I mean even if you are renting there can be huge issues, like someone who where stupid enough to use a grill at their balcony a few years ago which in the end burned away the whole roof of the building. How do you cover that if you aren't insurred?

I hope you had insurance. Your parents homeowners insurance probably covers it but there's also probably a $250-$500 deductable.

By any chance did you get a small insurance policy for your dorm?

Last year when I started college, my parents helped me get a small policy that covers up to $5000 if it's stolen/damaged in a fire/etc. It cost something like $40 bucks for the year.

To any students reading this: get coverage like this. It's much better because there's no deductable if you have to make a claim.

Either way, see if you have insurance to cover it, because it's highly unlikely that you'll get your MBP back again.

What were the specs of the computer? What else did they take in the way of accessories, instruction manual, etc?

aliquis- said:

Over here in Sweden almost everyone got home insurrances I guess, I mean even if you are renting there can be huge issues, like someone who where stupid enough to use a grill at their balcony a few years ago which in the end burned away the whole roof of the building. How do you cover that if you aren't insurred?

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I totally agree that there are huge issues and having insurance (be it property, liability, health, etc) is a must. But we only have a few instances where insurance is compulsory, at least for the common individual: When you drive a car you usually must carry liability insurance (for the person you might hit), and when you own property that a 3rd party is financing, such as a bank mortgage, you are often required to own insurance on said property.

The simple fact is, most people in the US who do not own their homes (renters/students/group living) do not carry renter's insurance. I'm not sure if it's just a intrinsic difference across the pond, but the idea of insurance isn't as prevalent, until you own property, get a job, etc. Until then you're quite often on your own!

And what would have happened if someone started an accidental fire on their balcony? The property owner would have brunted the cost of repairs, and then sued the fire-starter's insurance, and if he had none, the fire-starter himself to recoup his losses.

Edit: In our hypothetical example, most likely the building owner will have a mortgage, in which case his lender has required him to have a policy covering fire; So in reality, his insurance will cover the repairs, and then sue the starter, or his insurance if he has any, for the damages.

that sucks, hope you end up getting it back. My renters insurance will cover my macbook pro (when I get it) for all perils with a $100 deductable. Maybe see if your parents ins. will cover it as others have suggested

There has been a recent upswing in theft in and around campuses lately. I have UnderCover on my MBP just in case.

As far as what you can do now, Apple can't do anything. They don't have (But really should) a database of the searial numbers of stolen Macs. You contacted the school and police and unless you have renters insurance I'm afriad there is little left that you can do. Colleges don't cover lose of personal belongings and you must have been told (It was the first thing they told me when I wanted to find my bike). I hope you find out who took your MBP and I hope you get it back.

Whether you get it back, or get a new one buy some anti theft software. Like I said I use under cover, but there are some others out there to that are least expencive. ($70 to me was worth it)

i just ordered my MBP this week and with my order i bought that lojack software, hopefully that will work, i noticed in an earlier post another type of tracking software as well, can't say much about either whether they work or not, but it will give me a little more sense of security for i'm starting college this fall

stephen19 said:

i just ordered my MBP this week and with my order i bought that lojack software, hopefully that will work, i noticed in an earlier post another type of tracking software as well, can't say much about either whether they work or not, but it will give me a little more sense of security for i'm starting college this fall

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I hope never to have to find out if the software works or not.