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Macbook stolen, need serious help
- Thread starter bomsom
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Unless you have some sort of software that was previously installed that allows you to do that, your out of luck. Sorry.
Call the police and file a report.
As JamesG said, unless you had software installed on it beforehand then your SOL.
Sorry.
EDIT: DOH - I'm a slow typer.
As JamesG said, unless you had software installed on it beforehand then your SOL.
Sorry.
EDIT: DOH - I'm a slow typer.
Like everyone else is saying mate without anything installed on your Mac to help track it your SOL but for future reference Apple.com does offer Low-jack for 3 years for 100 bucks for the Macbook Pro's and i'm sure there other products. I just purchased it for mine
Not necessarily, he/she could take out the hard drive or create another partition on it and look at whats inside via secondary OS.
*if* they take out the hard drive, theres almost nothing that can be done unless they bring it to the apple store and have the Serial checked out. Thats unlikely though.
Thanks for the inputs guys.
No, there was no software like Prey installed, unfortunately.
She's in the police station right now, but I don't have much hope. To make things worse, she had automatic login enabled, I just asked her.
Damn it!! The information inside is more valuable than the Mac itself, but the worst thing is the feeling that you can do absolutely nothing about it!
Sorry for the frustration and thanks again.
Waiting for a miracle...
No, there was no software like Prey installed, unfortunately.
She's in the police station right now, but I don't have much hope. To make things worse, she had automatic login enabled, I just asked her.
Damn it!! The information inside is more valuable than the Mac itself, but the worst thing is the feeling that you can do absolutely nothing about it!
Sorry for the frustration and thanks again.
Waiting for a miracle...
Also report the serial to the police as well as Apple Customer Relations, they will flag the machine anytime the machine will be checked in for service.
A majority of the machines of people I know had stolen, a lot of the times they bring it in to apple and every time its brought in it will registered by apple as being checked in.
sorry to hear, best of luck.
A majority of the machines of people I know had stolen, a lot of the times they bring it in to apple and every time its brought in it will registered by apple as being checked in.
sorry to hear, best of luck.
If it's bank account info or anything sensitive, can she call those places and have her accounts suspended for the moment?
Just a note to anyone who values their MacBook.
1. install Prey or eventually the Apple version when iCloud comes out of beta.
2. get a Time Machine backup, preferably a non portable NAS on your home network.
Your homeowners insurance should cover the loss.
1. install Prey or eventually the Apple version when iCloud comes out of beta.
2. get a Time Machine backup, preferably a non portable NAS on your home network.
Your homeowners insurance should cover the loss.
This is incorrect and continues to live on all over the internet, but Apple never did nor do they track serial numbers, etc.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2526
If you have lost or found an Apple product, please contact your local law enforcement agency to report it. Although Apple does not have a process to track or flag lost or stolen product, you can use My Support Profile to find a list of serial numbers that have been purchased or registered with your Apple ID.
Yes, she's doing it, quite a few places to call.
Yes, now we learned the hard way. I'll definitely take a look right now at Prey for my MBP as I wait for iCloud to arrive next month.
chop this one up as a loss. unless the person is stupid enough to post it on craiglist.
Lessons are to be learned I am sorry that people suck, but just get insurance next time home owners or renters ect...
Lessons are to be learned I am sorry that people suck, but just get insurance next time home owners or renters ect...
I called Apple for another reason, and asked the "what if" question. They suggested immediately calling and reporting the serial number, and said that many stolen devices are brought to Apple stores where they are taken in, and then the authorities are notified and the computer held for return.
Unless you send Apple a police report highlighting your SN is stolen, they will not hold any "flagged" products, it simply doesn't happen. Try to find a news article or 2 where this supposedly happened.
Okay so where are you getting your 'information' from?
If you contact Apple Corporate you are able to have them flag the specific serial number should the information you provide them match what info in registered to the computer.
Actually, I did this. In late November a macbook was stolen. Contacted Apple Corporate with the serial number, a few months later the machine popped up as someone trying to bring it into an Apple retail store for a repair and gave the entire documentation of what they were bringing it in for, the cost of that repair total, etc. A police report was filed but was not required by the corporate rep as all the documentation matched up.
As soon as they checked the Mac in it they look up the warranty and any form of notes for that serial. they spotted the note from apple corporate, told the customer theyd need to keep it overnight and was contacted in a few days that the system was brought it in. had to get the detective involved to verify all of the documentation and went on from there.
While not always 100% going to work in every case, but it did this time and Im sure it can help in some form in the future.
also not necessary. just boot from a SL disk and change the password with the utility there.
how did it get stolen?
frankly, i wouldn't put much stock in prey or other programs like it. there has been some hype about them, and some suspicious (to my eyes) "gotcha" incidents that brought a lot of publicity (stunts?), but in the end you have to bet that the criminal is stupid on many levels, that the police are willing to run around town trying to track down this computer for you. whoever ends up getting "caught" could just be a poor sap who bought the computer. your information is still compromised. you've gained little even in a best case scenario.
watch your computer when you take it out for a stroll. get insurance (renter's insurance usually seems to have a provision for this kind of thing). use passwords. encrypt any sensitive information. use backups (time machine and online services like sugarsync).
frankly, i wouldn't put much stock in prey or other programs like it. there has been some hype about them, and some suspicious (to my eyes) "gotcha" incidents that brought a lot of publicity (stunts?), but in the end you have to bet that the criminal is stupid on many levels, that the police are willing to run around town trying to track down this computer for you. whoever ends up getting "caught" could just be a poor sap who bought the computer. your information is still compromised. you've gained little even in a best case scenario.
watch your computer when you take it out for a stroll. get insurance (renter's insurance usually seems to have a provision for this kind of thing). use passwords. encrypt any sensitive information. use backups (time machine and online services like sugarsync).
I'm curious. If the thief then sells the item to a perfectly legit buyer, then would that buyer now be royally f'ed when he brings it in for repairs?
dont listen to the first paragraph he has his head up his ass he said something similar in a similar thread. second i agree with though
In the US, it is a crime to knowingly receive stolen goods in every state.
Knowingly is the key word.
The problem for the buyer of stolen goods is that they do not own the item they purchased; the victim of the theft still owns the item. If found, it is returned to the original owner. The buyer needs to go after the thief to recover the money.