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Stolen macbook air

V

valleyboy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
manchester
Hi all,

Recently bought my first apple macbook air the other week and we'll impressed until it was stolen from my car. I put it under the seat while I did a little shop but come back and my car was broken into and this among other things were stolen. I obviously reported it to the police but I did not activate find my mac or anything on it because to be honest I thought it was pointless.
Is there a way to track it or am I screwed. I have my mac serial number etc which is on the box if this helps or am I clutching straws? Really gutted about this in two ways, my car broken into and my new macbook stolen.
Any advice would be appreciated thanks
 
960design

960design

macrumors 68040
Apr 17, 2012
3,761
1,636
Destin, FL
On your next purchase, consider yourself wiser and activate find my mac.
Here is some advise from apple:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204315

Basically your screwed. Sorry for your loss.

Recommendation: remove all items from site inside your car. Rarely are cars broken into with absolutely nothing visible. Lock your doors. Most car break-ins are random chance pull on the door handle as the thief walks by. Check on craigslist for Macbooks for sale.
 
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V

valleyboy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
manchester
Thanks for the reply. I'm wondering if someone seen me put it under the seat while in car park? Looks like I'm stuffed then and really gutted as my first macbook :(. I thought with the serial number it was a slight chance it can be located but guess not. See what my insurance coughs up now so I can replace it and other stuff which was stolen in my car
 
canuckRus

canuckRus

macrumors 6502a
May 18, 2014
965
358
valleyboy said:
Thanks for the reply. I'm wondering if someone seen me put it under the seat while in car park? Looks like I'm stuffed then and really gutted as my first macbook :(. I thought with the serial number it was a slight chance it can be located but guess not. See what my insurance coughs up now so I can replace it and other stuff which was stolen in my car
Click to expand...


Check with your credit card issuer or household insurance people if you have it.
 
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noanker

noanker

macrumors regular
Sep 30, 2015
133
99
Sorry that happened to you. Any intrusion into one's personal space leaves a lasting feeling of violation.

One question: did you place the MacBook under the seat BEFORE you got to your shopping destination OR after?

I ask because being in IT, I've always instructed laptop users to place their laptop bag in their trunk BEFORE going to their destination, if they must keep it in the car. I always recommend removing it from the car, but sometimes that option doesn't exist. Many are unaware that thieves will watch for people placing items into their trunk before they enter a mall, etc. and then break into that vehicle.

With your next MacBook, in addition to using Find my Mac, I strongly advise using FileVault to fully encrypt your disk (it's enabled from Yosemite onward) and create a firmware password. The firmware password removes the option for the thief from wiping the disk using recovery mode.

Apple items are highly coveted by thieves and enthusiasts alike.
 
Last edited:
V

valleyboy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
manchester
noanker said:
Sorry that happened to you. Any intrusion into one's personal space leaves a lasting feeling of violation.

One question: did you place the MacBook under the seat BEFORE you got to your shopping destination OR after?

I ask because being in IT, I've always instructed laptop users to place their laptop bag in their trunk BEFORE going to their destination, if they must keep it in the car. I always recommend removing it from the car, but sometimes that option doesn't exist. Many are unaware that thieves will watch for people placing items into their trunk before they enter a mall, etc. and then break into that vehicle.

With your next MacBook, in addition to using Find my Mac, I strongly advise using FileVault to fully encrypt your disk (it's enabled from Yosemite onward) and create a firmware password. The firmware password removes the option for the thief from wiping the disk using recovery mode.

Apple items are highly coveted by thieves and enthusiasts alike.
Click to expand...

noanker said:
Sorry that happened to you. Any intrusion into one's personal space leaves a lasting feeling of violation.

One question: did you place the MacBook under the seat BEFORE you got to your shopping destination OR after?

I ask because being in IT, I've always instructed laptop users to place their laptop bag in their trunk BEFORE going to their destination, if they must keep it in the car. I always recommend removing it from the car, but sometimes that option doesn't exist. Many are unaware that thieves will watch for people placing items into their trunk before they enter a mall, etc. and then break into that vehicle.

With your next MacBook, in addition to using Find my Mac, I strongly advise using FileVault to fully encrypt your disk (it's enabled from Yosemite onward) and create a firmware password. The firmware password removes the option for the thief from wiping the disk using recovery mode.

Apple items are highly coveted by thieves and enthusiasts alike.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the reply. I put it under after I pulled up so guess the fault lies with me mainly because I should have put it in the boot. Do u think if contact apple with the serial number they can trace it or do something? Definitely will protect it when get my new one soon as insurance sorted.
 
N

nebo1ss

macrumors 68030
Jun 2, 2010
2,909
1,709
I had my car broken into with nothing in it to steal. One lesson I learn't was never lock the Glove box. Damage done in trying to pry open the Glove box required a new Dash at a cost more than $1,000
 
JoelTheSuperior

JoelTheSuperior

macrumors 6502
Feb 10, 2014
406
443
valleyboy said:
Thanks for the reply. I put it under after I pulled up so guess the fault lies with me mainly because I should have put it in the boot. Do u think if contact apple with the serial number they can trace it or do something? Definitely will protect it when get my new one soon as insurance sorted.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately if it wasn't registered with 'find my mac' Apple has no way of tracking it now.
 
noanker

noanker

macrumors regular
Sep 30, 2015
133
99
valleyboy said:
Thanks for the reply. I put it under after I pulled up so guess the fault lies with me mainly because I should have put it in the boot. Do u think if contact apple with the serial number they can trace it or do something? Definitely will protect it when get my new one soon as insurance sorted.
Click to expand...

No. Apple, to the best of my knowledge, won't have a way to track it.

You may want to audit whether you had any email accounts (e.g. Gmail) set to log in automatically, or for that matter, any other log ins. They could look in your browser and access your account passwords if they were saved; bank accounts would be something a thief would look for. With Gmail, you can sign in from another computer and check "last account activity" and click on "details" to see if the MacBook logged in from another IP. You could then forward that IP to the police as an addendum to your police report (I hope you filed one) but don't expect anything from the police.

It's not that the police aren't doing their job, it's just insignificant in the scheme of things with any department's case load.

Hopefully you didn't have any unencrypted USB drives in your laptop bag with critical data on them......

Meanwhile, change your passwords. In addition to the advice in my last post, use 2-factor authentication on any email account you have.
 
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V

valleyboy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
manchester
Thanks for all the feed backs regarding this and i have contacted apple and the told me there was no way they can track it and even with the serial number they still cant :( . Really gutted to be honest and where new to all this. Looks like its gonna be down to my insurance company to see if they will replace it or help towards buying a new one?
 
gnasher729

gnasher729

Suspended
Nov 25, 2005
17,980
5,565
Steve121178 said:
I face-palmed on your behalf.

Find my Mac is certainly no guarantee of ever getting your computer returned, but to not activate it is just stupid. I presume you had FileVault turned on though? Please say yes.
Click to expand...

To explain: Without FileVault, the thief can read everything on your computer except for the keychain. For example any documents with addresses, where you might have written down credit card numbers, and so on.

Find My Mac: Shows where your Mac is in case you forgot it somewhere while drunk and can't remember where. Can give a message to an honest person who finds your Mac. Lets you wipe your Mac clean in case some thief gets it to avoid your data to be read by a criminal.

FileVault: Keeps your data safe so nobody can read it without the password. And I mean nobody.

Keychain: Keeps everything stored there absolutely safe.
 
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V

valleyboy

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Oct 11, 2015
6
0
manchester
Thanks for all the replies. It's down to the insurance now to see if they will help or pay towards a new one. This time I will put what I can to protect my mac lol
 
C

CelestialToys

macrumors 6502
Aug 4, 2013
359
168
up above the streets and houses
Just a further tip to avoid being a victim in future. Don't leave anything on display in your car when you park. Including Jackets, bags, groceries etc etc. You mentioned that other items were stolen, it's quite possible that the thief broke into your car for something that was on view and just lucked out on finding your Msc under the seat.
 
F

felt.

macrumors 6502a
Mar 13, 2008
710
266
Canada
It was probably Jesus with a friendly reminder to not get overly attached to material possessions and to spend more time with loved ones.
 
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