How to Prevent your Laptop and Electronic Devices from being Stolen

Laptops, tablets, smart phones and other small electronic devices are the items of choice when it comes to theft now a days. They're built to be small, portable and very expensive so it's no wonder why their theft rates are at all time highs! These items cost a lot of money new and can be sold very quickly online at places like Craigslist, eBay or a local pawn shop. This means thieves will take any chance they can get to slip them into a pocket and disappear into a crowd leaving you high and dry.

The Hidden Cost of Stolen Items

It might seem like you've lost enough with a couple hundred dollar phone or laptops being stolen but what about the costs you don't think about? You might have had some accessories or add ons with your laptop like a bag, wireless mouse, external hard drive etc. On top of those you now lost your software and any time and expense it might take to set up and configure these programs if you're going to do it yourself. An even bigger problem is the files or pictures that might have been lost, whether it's kid photos or sensitive work files this person now has unlimited access to them and even a password won't stop most thieves.

Best Ways to Help Prevent Theft of Your Devices

Luckily there are some steps you can take to stop thieves from stealing your hard earned money, time and possibly more. Don't wait until it's too late be proactive and use some of these basic tips to save yourself a huge headache. Don't leave a laptop, cell phone or other devices in your car whether it is locked or unlocked. Not only will your device be gone but your window will be broken too. If you absolutely must leave them in a car keep them hidden somewhere out of site like in the trunk, under a seat or in your glove box. Most crimes are because of convenience so don't make it easy! Don't ever leave them unattended whether it's at your desk at work or the table of a bar or cafe. They're tiny enough it only takes seconds to put them into a pocket or bag and you'll never be able to track them down then. This is one of the most common ways to have them stolen. Don't use a typical bag or case made for a laptop or smart phone this is a dead giveaway of what's inside. A briefcase can still carry a laptop and keeps it much more discrete while still protecting the device from physical damage. Always remember that most people use automatic log ins so things like email, social media, and even bank accounts might be at risk if your device is stolen, it's recommended to have a laptop password for logging into Windows as well. If it does end up stolen be sure to change these passwords as quickly as you can to avoid identity theft. Last but not least don't forget to back up your information and files to an external hard drive or a flash drive. This quick and simple process can save you huge head aches in case your devices do come up stolen but the key is to be consistent and keep a regular schedule when you do back them up. There is sadly no way to prevent laptop or cell phone theft and it has consistently been on the rise with new phones coming out worth more and more money. The best thing to do is prepare and make sure your device is never left alone. The more prepared and aware of electronic gadget theft you are, the better your chances are it won't come up stolen or fall into the wrong hands.

Report the Theft Immediately and even �brick� your device

This might seem pointless but most people never report the item theft and just write it off as a loss. While this typically holds true when you report a crime the time and location is now in a police data base so if this happens repeatedly you might help others out because the police will eventually investigate if there are too many reports from a certain store or location. It is best to call them before your carrier because the carriers now �brick� a phone making it 100% useless to use or sell. Once they do this is might hurt the investigation and they might recommend you keep the device turned on in hopes that the criminal will try to use it and get caught that way. The worst thing you can do is nothing so try to report it or notify someone of the crime to help prevent it from happening to someone else.