[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Creating a list of hot items...

kehr@felix.UUCP (Shirley Kehr) (11/23/88)

In article <4843@bsu-cs.UUCP> mithomas@bsu-cs.UUCP (Michael Thomas Niehaus) writes:
<Recently we have had a rash of thefts on our campus.  In the last 4 weeks, there
<have been 12 Macintoshes stolen, all Mac Pluses and Mac SEs (they couldn't get
<to the Mac IIs), as well as five MS-DOS compatibles (no true IBM machines, only
<AT&T 6300s and Zenith 159s), a couple of Epson LQ-800 printers, and a brand new
<Apple LaserWriter IINT (the last startup page said that there were 120 pages 
<printed).
<thing that we could see would be to publish a list of serial numbers of the
<stolen items, and distribute it throughout the country (by electronic means, at
<least).

I, for one, wouldn't mind if you published the serial numbers here. I'd save
the list for awhile.

With that much equipment loss, can't you convince your management to invest
in security locking devices. I've never seen these used, but I understand
that all macs have this place for a cable to tie it down a bit.

It probably doesn't work against the professionals, but it might slow them
down a bit. (And I thought things were tamer in my home state.)

Shirley Kehr

keeshu@nikhefk.UUCP (Kees Huyser) (11/25/88)

In article <71340@felix.UUCP> kehr@felix.UUCP (Shirley Kehr) writes:
#With that much equipment loss, can't you convince your management to invest
#in security locking devices. I've never seen these used, but I understand
#that all macs have this place for a cable to tie it down a bit.
#
#It probably doesn't work against the professionals, but it might slow them
#down a bit. (And I thought things were tamer in my home state.)
#
#Shirley Kehr

We have all Macs locked with the official Apple security kits, but we found that
it's real easy to break them. After one of our Macs was stolen, the cable was
found on the table, neatly cut in two pieces. One of my colleages later managed
to cut this cable with normal scissors! So much for Security... The best thing
you can do is not to buy the Apple stuff, but go to a hardware shop, buy some
twisted steel cable, thin plastic hose and a lock. This will cost you a 
fraction of what Apple charges you for their securety kit, and it will give
you as much or better protection.

--Kees
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smvorkoetter@watmum.waterloo.edu (Stefan M. Vorkoetter) (11/25/88)

Here at the University of Waterloo, all the equipment in all of our
generally accessible labs is bolted down.  There are metal brackets 
over top of system units, monitors are bolted to these, and even
the keyboards of our old PCs were bolted down.  It think the newer
ones are on steel tethers.

As far as I know, we do not lose much equipment.  Professional
thieves would not be a problem, since our labs are accessible 24
hours a day, and there are almost always people in them using
equipment.


Stefan Vorkoetter
University of Waterloo

peter@aucs.UUCP (Peter Steele) (11/28/88)

> With that much equipment loss, can't you convince your management to invest
> in security locking devices. I've never seen these used, but I understand
> that all macs have this place for a cable to tie it down a bit.

We have our Macs hooked into a security circuit. The only way to remove a
Mac is to cut the coax cable making up the circuit. If that happens, an alarm
goes off in the security office. We also have the Macs tied down with security
cables...

-- 
Peter Steele, Microcomputer Applications Analyst
Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada B0P1X0 (902)542-2201x121
UUCP: {uunet|watmath|utai|garfield}!dalcs!aucs!Peter
BITNET: Peter@Acadia  Internet: Peter%Acadia.BITNET@CUNYVM.CUNY.EDU

tim@hoptoad.uucp (Tim Maroney) (12/01/88)

In article <1400@aucs.UUCP> peter@aucs.UUCP (Peter Steele) writes:
>> With that much equipment loss, can't you convince your management to invest
>> in security locking devices. I've never seen these used, but I understand
>> that all macs have this place for a cable to tie it down a bit.
>
>We have our Macs hooked into a security circuit. The only way to remove a
>Mac is to cut the coax cable making up the circuit. If that happens, an alarm
>goes off in the security office. We also have the Macs tied down with security
>cables...

But isn't it awfully easy to bridge such a setup?  That is, you just strip
a little insulation and bypass the segment you're going to cut?
-- 
Tim Maroney, Consultant, Eclectic Software, sun!hoptoad!tim
"I see little divinity about them or you.  You talk to me of Christianity
 when you are in the act of hanging your enemies.  Was there ever such
 blasphemous nonsense!" - Shaw, "The Devil's Disciple"