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Laptop Security

Recently, somebody entered our building after hours and stole a laptop, leaving all the cables, even the power adapter. I have replaced the laptop. What is a good deterrent to help prevent this type of theft? Where could I purchase? The office is an "open plan" (read: cubicles) and the employee wants generally to leave the laptop in the office except on special occasions.

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Adrian Wilson

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rindi

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Bradley Haynes

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rid

As pointed out, modern laptops can be well protected... to get the full advantage of these protection schemes as deterrents, they should be "advertised". Put stickers on the units stating "BIOS and hard drive passwords set" or similar. Anyone "shopping" for himself will of course just get a mite uninterested in that particular system. Of course, if the intent is to sell the unit on e-bay or suchlike, where customers can't do much except come here and ask for help with unknown passwords, that sort of protection is not very efficient. The Kensington lock is probably the better choice. Or a combination...
/RID

Les Moore

You might also consider lojack for laptops
http://www.lojackforlaptops.com/

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masnrock

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Adrian Wilson

You might want to check what your insurance company requirements are too to ensure you're covered. We used to lock laptops away in drawers and cupboards as masnrock has rightly suggested above as that was their requirement.

robyncoffey

I'm with ajwuk and masnrock - locking the laptop away in a drawer or cupboard and then keeping the key with you (rather than in a drawer at the desk where the laptop is located) is low-tech but cheap and practical. Cable-locking it to the desk drawer is even better.