Keeping iPad secure at work - Ideas?

[IamDave]

So, I’m looking for any suggestions to look at being able to use my iPad (12.9” and magic keyboard) at work whilst keeping it secure.

A bit of background: I’m a paramedic and work at a fairly large station and try to use any standby time on station to do work on my iPad as work computers are painfully slow and I can’t access my work remotely through them. At the moment I use my iPad on station and store it in my locker when we get a job or sent out on standby.

The main issue is I want to be able to take the iPad out on the vehicle with me so if we get sent on roadside standby (where we basically sit in the cab at the roadside waiting for a job) I can do my work as unfortunately I can’t just stipulate I need to stay on station. The trouble is it’s difficult to ensure the cab remains locked at all times when we’re at incidents and there are is no lockable storage on the vehicle.

I’ve seen some “anti theft” bags where the outer material can’t be cut (or just the straps? Not sure) and was wondering if I could get one of these and get some sort of lock to strap the bag to the seat?

This might sound really odd and unfeasible but thought it was worth seeing what ideas others had. Hope that all makes sense but I’m typing this in the middle of a night shift!

Cheers!

 

[0128672]

I don't have a solution for you, but this is one of the most interesting iPad accessory questions I've ever seen. I'm going to watch to see the responses, and I hope someone has something that will work for you.

 

[IamDave]

So I’ve still been looking at potential solutions for this and have come across this: https://loctote.com/products/flak-sack-sport

I’d be interested to know if anyone has ever bought one of these. I watched a review on inbox therapy and the strap for locking the bag to objects just has a thin steel cable. I suppose nothing will ever be completely theft proof and it depends on the likelihood of a would be thief carrying around some wire cutters of some description as to whether this is sufficient!

 

[Allan in T.Dot]

So, I’m looking for any suggestions to look at being able to use my iPad (12.9” and magic keyboard) at work whilst keeping it secure.

A bit of background: I’m a paramedic and work at a fairly large station and try to use any standby time on station to do work on my iPad as work computers are painfully slow and I can’t access my work remotely through them. At the moment I use my iPad on station and store it in my locker when we get a job or sent out on standby.

The main issue is I want to be able to take the iPad out on the vehicle with me so if we get sent on roadside standby (where we basically sit in the cab at the roadside waiting for a job) I can do my work as unfortunately I can’t just stipulate I need to stay on station. The trouble is it’s difficult to ensure the cab remains locked at all times when we’re at incidents and there are is no lockable storage on the vehicle.

I’ve seen some “anti theft” bags where the outer material can’t be cut (or just the straps? Not sure) and was wondering if I could get one of these and get some sort of lock to strap the bag to the seat?

This might sound really odd and unfeasible but thought it was worth seeing what ideas others had. Hope that all makes sense but I’m typing this in the middle of a night shift!

Cheers!

Healthcare worker here and I feel your pain. Two problems - the anti theft bags work well and they can strap the bag to the seat and you can put a lock around the zippers but the problem is (a) where on the seat are you going to put it and (b) how much time do you think you have/will you do it properly in that timeframe?

My suggestion is this - here in Ontario, you typically have two duffle bags you need to carry with you on site which are normally on the stretcher outgoing but are carried back incoming but you don't have any backpack. Are you allowed to have extraneous gear on you? If so, I'd recommend a sling bag which is very low profile and doesn't shift very much/at all on your back which is what you want given what you do. I have the Pacsafe Vibe 325 for my IPP 12.5" with Magic Keyboard and it fits really well. Plus, you can have your personal items like a wallet, phone, keys, stored in there at the same time as the tablet in case you don't want to leave that in your locker as well. It's supposed to be RFID but my key fob still work through the bag so don't rely on it for that.

Yes it's a man bag but f*** it. I'm secure with my manhood and have you ever tried carrying a Note 10+ in shorts along with car keys, and misc. kids stuff? Backpacks make me sweat a bit too much and are typically too roomy but this worked perfectly. Also, if I'm in a rush and I just grab my bag and my phone and I'm gone - nothing gets lost either.

Hope that helps. Thanks for holding down the front line for all of us.

 

[IamDave]

Healthcare worker here and I feel your pain. Two problems - the anti theft bags work well and they can strap the bag to the seat and you can put a lock around the zippers but the problem is (a) where on the seat are you going to put it and (b) how much time do you think you have/will you do it properly in that timeframe?

My suggestion is this - here in Ontario, you typically have two duffle bags you need to carry with you on site which are normally on the stretcher outgoing but are carried back incoming but you don't have any backpack. Are you allowed to have extraneous gear on you? If so, I'd recommend a sling bag which is very low profile and doesn't shift very much/at all on your back which is what you want given what you do. I have the Pacsafe Vibe 325 for my IPP 12.5" with Magic Keyboard and it fits really well. Plus, you can have your personal items like a wallet, phone, keys, stored in there at the same time as the tablet in case you don't want to leave that in your locker as well. It's supposed to be RFID but my key fob still work through the bag so don't rely on it for that.

Yes it's a man bag but f*** it. I'm secure with my manhood and have you ever tried carrying a Note 10+ in shorts along with car keys, and misc. kids stuff? Backpacks make me sweat a bit too much and are typically too roomy but this worked perfectly. Also, if I'm in a rush and I just grab my bag and my phone and I'm gone - nothing gets lost either.

Hope that helps. Thanks for holding down the front line for all of us.

Thanks for the suggestion I’ll have a look into that! We usually carry a hold-all bag with all of our personal protective kit in which is stored in a locker (non lockable). Then I usually just have my own backpack with things like my lunch, charging cables and stuff in.

I wouldn’t be able to keep anything on me personally when on jobs is the only issue that’s why I’m looking for something I could secure in the vehicle when we get sent on jobs or standby but I’ll have a look at that definitely!

 

[IamDave]

So,

Thought I’d post a little update in case anyone else had a similar issue! I did end up going for a pacsafe bag. Specifically this one made in collaboration with unbox therapy: https://int.pacsafe.com/collection.../unbox-therapy-x-pacsafe-anti-theft-briefcase

Now, I know there probably could be other solutions and maybe other bags but after seeing the unbox therapy video on this bag and reading into it a little it seemed ideal.

So, the main compartment I believe is protected by a kind of metal cable mesh. Therefore if someone slashed the main material with a knife they would be able to get at smaller items in the main compartment but not larger ones (such as my iPad). This main compartment has a heavy duty zip that is puncture resistant and the zips lock into a roobar locking system on one side of the bag. The strap used to carry the bag has metal wire cable running through its entire length and this also locks into the roobar which then can be secured with a padlock.

I take this bag with me onto the vehicle every day and thread the strap around the metal bar at the bottom of the seat used to adjust its position. I think lock the strap and zips into the roobar and lock it with a 3 digit combination padlock and leave the bag on the centre storage cupboard.

It’s a little fiddly doing all this but can still be secured within a minute quite easily it’s the padlock which is probably the fiddliest bit.

Overall I’m more than happy with this as I can unlock the bag and bring it into station with me then quickly secure it if we get a job and not be worried about it being stolen.

Now I know that it’s not entirely theft proof as all a would be thief would probably need is some wire cutters but that’s unlikely for the opportunist. Even so they’d have to fiddle around a fair amount and the amount of times the truck is left unlocked in quiet areas is rare so I think it’s likely they’d get seen trying to Nick it as they’d have to either cut the strap with wire cutters or somehow pull the seat bar off!!

The bag itself is smaller than my last meaning I needed a separate lunch bag but this isn’t a bad thing!

Hope this is useful to anyone in a similar situation.

 

[Okta]

^ That makes sense. I know there's some more industrial solutions for locking it up (think fixed tripods) but I'm not sure how feasible that is for you.

Thanks for sharing what was useful for you!

 

[LeMo]

I've a Pacsafe bag similar to this and a Pacsafe helmet bag. That withstood the attempts of some thief who tried to steal my helmet. Cosmetically a little ugly now but still intact! Boxknife zero, bag one!

The bags also have RFID shielded pockets IIRC.

 

[IamDave]

I've a Pacsafe bag similar to this and a Pacsafe helmet bag. That withstood the attempts of some thief who tried to steal my helmet. Cosmetically a little ugly now but still intact! Boxknife zero, bag one!

The bags also have RFID shielded pockets IIRC.

Good to know it will actually withstand some attempts! I’d rather have a slightly ugly looking bag than have my iPad nicked! Yeah there is an RFID pocket on the inside but I only carry two cards with me and they’re always in my MagSafe wallet but still nice to have I guess!