mithomas@bsu-cs.UUCP (Michael Thomas Niehaus) (11/22/88)
Just a thought...
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).
Since it would be impossible to unload that much equipment in this area, we
believe that they will be trying to get rid of it somewhere else. (If anyone
offers to sell you an almost brand new laser printer, be suspicious.) The only
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). What better way than to use the Usenet/BITNET/ARPA/AppleLink/etc.
networks.
Would it be feasible for one site to become a tracking center that could record
serial numbers of stolen machines? If this were to happen, then any
organization could just send a message to that site to see if the used equipment
that they just bought was clean. This lessens the burden on everyone, since
one site would keep all of the information.
I would assume that such thefts are widespread, and somewhere, sometime, these
machines will be sold. The odds of finding a stolen item probably aren't that
good, but maybe it's worth a try.
In my experience, university police agencies have not been very successful in
solving this type of crime (sometimes I wonder if they even try). Maybe just
the embarrasment of publishing the location of the thefts would be enough to
encourage better investigation and PREVENTION, as well as bringing the issue
of physical (not just electronic) security into the open.
If anyone has any comments, suggestions, etc., please send them to me. I'll
look forward to hearing from some.
Thanks for your time,
Michael Niehaus
Ball State University
Lab Management Office/Computer Competency Program
Muncie, IN 47306
UUCP: ..!{pur-ee,iuvax}!bsu-cs!mithomas
AppleLink: U0698bob@eecs.nwu.edu (Bob Hablutzel) (11/22/88)
> Since it would be impossible to unload that much equipment in this area, we > believe that they will be trying to get rid of it somewhere else. (If anyone > offers to sell you an almost brand new laser printer, be suspicious.) The > only 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). What better way than to use the Usenet/BITNET/ARPA/ > AppleLink/etc. networks. Make sure you Link the serial numbers of these machines to Apple. One nice thing they do is publish the serial numbers of stolen equipment on (I assume) a regular basis. I think the idea is that if a repair center comes across a stolen Mac, they can contact the appropriate authorities. Bob Hablutzel BOB@NUACC.ACNS.NWU.EDU Disclaimer: I speak for noone but myself, and I could be wrong.
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 Kehrkeeshu@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"