In a disturbing trend, crooks are snatching laptops right from the hands of cafe-going travelers.
According to the The San Francisco Chronicle article linked above, the Bay area is the major "hot spot" for this type of activity, although they mention Berkeley coffee shops are also at risk.
Hip, urban downtown cores full of coffee shops and laptop people will only attract more of this unwelcome attention. Think New York, Seattle, Bellevue, Ann Arbor, Austin, Boulder. Coffee towns. Maybe your own town.
The key to laptop theft deterrent - especially for business travelers who can't live without their notebook computers - is prevention.
- Will a laptop leash help? Maybe. Get a strong leash made of metal and lock it to your laptop's security slot on one end, and the leg of a cafe table on the other. PC LOCS laptop leash offers a lightweight security cable with a loop lock and generic key-turn locking mechanism. Any laptop leash also serves as a visual deterrent, so don't hide the cable. Leave it up in plain sight. And realize this kind of safety net will only go so far. Don't leave the laptop for a restroom run, as a quick thinking notebook snatcher just needs a snap of the wire cutters to steal your goods.
- Don't have a leash? Next best is to try enjoying your notebook at a coffee shop with a friend, buddying up at cafe tables.
- Keep your eyes open - don't disappear into your Internet world. Look up and look around. No need to stare suspiciously at everyone nearby, but do show a measure of alert awareness of your surroundings.
- Bring a dog. Outside patios often let a pet stay leashed to cafe tables. Your dog is a great crime stopper - even a friendly-looking mutt will still give pause to a would-be thief.
- Look for a laptop carrier that doesn't scream "laptop carrier". Women can find purses and tote bags that laptops can fit in, and for men, briefcases, backpacks and courier bags might be less obvious choices.
Lastly, and always important to do - back up your laptop. And keep the backups somewhere safe. It's not the law, but it's still a REALLY GOOD IDEA. If your precious laptop does get snatched, you at least will have your irreplacable data.
Related Article - Business Travelers need to get up to date on hotel theft prevention and room security. Or join the discussion and share whatever theft prevention tips you've found most helpful.
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