Laptops returned to school
A technology that has worked well helping to catch car thieves is now helping to catch people who steal computers.
One of four stolen laptop computers that have been recovered using tracking devices and returned to the school board.
Photograph by: Submitted , for the TIMES
Bait cars have been so successful that the same technology is now being used to track stolen school computers.
Recently, police and school district 42 worked together and were able to track down and return four laptops that had been stolen from schools.
“Ridge Meadows RCMP fully support School District 42’s initiative. This technology will certainly assist police in recovering expensive school equipment, if it is stolen. It should also assist schools in reducing incidents of thefts, once thieves learn this is in place,” said Ridge Meadows RCMP Cpl. Alanna Dunlop.
When a computer is stolen, the district provides police with detailed information that has been reported by the tracking device in the computer. This allows police to obtain a search warrant for where the computer is located.
The tracking devices were installed by the school district, which gives them the ability to monitor any computer stolen from a school in the district. This system is similar to a bait car whereby it can be monitored once it has been stolen with real-time capture of information.
When a computer is stolen, the school district provides police with detailed information that is reported by the computer. This allows police to obtain grounds to obtain a search warrant of where the computer is located.
“Police warn persons who are purchasing items, especially portable items like a laptop computer, on Craigslist or in a ‘too good to be true’ scenario to ensure that the items are not stolen as you will be out of pocket when the police seize the stolen computer and return it to the school district,” said Dunlop.
