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25 laptops stolen from my company in past few weeks - *BUSTED!*

GasX

Lifer
Laptops have been disappearing off desks for a few weeks now. It has always happened at night or on the weekends when few people other than security guards are in the building. One of the thefts involved using a key to enter a locked office. If you were a rookie investigator, you could guess where the first place to start looking would be...


ROSELAND, NJ:
Two security guards at a pharmaceutical company in Roseland were arrested and charged with stealing 25 laptop computers from the company, said Roseland Police Chief Richard McDonough.

McDonough said Roseland detectives have been investigating thefts at Organon Inc. on Prudential Drive since April 27, when a theft of five laptop computers was reported to police. McDonough said police were notified of two additional thefts of laptops at the company -- six on May 12 and five on May 21.

After working with Organon security on the investigation, McDonough said, Roseland police arrested two company employees on Wednesday at their homes. Maurice Hilliard, 34, of Newark and Juan Martinezmelean, 30, of Secaucus, were each charged with four counts of theft, receiving stolen property and conspiracy.

Martinezmelean was lodged in the Essex County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, and Hilliard was released on his own recognizance, pending a court hearing, the chief said.
McDonough said six of the stolen laptop computers were recovered from the homes of the two men. He said the investigation into the thefts is continuing. Police believe a total of 25 computers have been stolen from Organon.

The chief credited detective Sgt. Vincent Thomas, detective Charles Ribaudo and detective Terry West with conducting the investigation that led to the arrests.
 
Added note: The street value of these generic lap tops is maybe $6000-$10,000 TOPS. How exciting to go to jail for a few years when your potential upside was a couple of thousand dollars.

Some people just don't understand risk vs. reward...
 
One thing I never understood, ok you stole a laptop and got away with it, so stop while you're ahead. How stupid do you have to be to keep trying your luck? Every idiot knows that if you try the same thing enough times eventually you'll get caught. Laws of probability.
 
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Added note: The street value of these generic lap tops is maybe $6000-$10,000 TOPS. How exciting to go to jail for a few years when your potential upside was a couple of thousand dollars.

:Q
 
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Added note: The street value of these generic lap tops is maybe $6000-$10,000 TOPS. How exciting to go to jail for a few years when your potential upside was a couple of thousand dollars.

Some people just don't understand risk vs. reward...

6,000-10,000 a pop, I would risk it for 25 of those, that's 250K. 😉

 
Originally posted by: cjgallen
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Added note: The street value of these generic lap tops is maybe $6000-$10,000 TOPS. How exciting to go to jail for a few years when your potential upside was a couple of thousand dollars.

:Q

I think he meant total for all the 25 laptops, IE each one being worth like 400 bucks.
 
Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: Mwilding
Added note: The street value of these generic lap tops is maybe $6000-$10,000 TOPS. How exciting to go to jail for a few years when your potential upside was a couple of thousand dollars.

Some people just don't understand risk vs. reward...

6,000-10,000 a pop, I would risk it for 25 of those, that's 250K. 😉
That amount is for all 25, not for each one...

The aftermarket street price for a used 1GHz 256MB RAM laptop pc is not that high...

 
At my company, nobody leaves their laptop on their desks. They either lock it up in their drawers or take them home. Our IT and security groups both insist on not leaving the laptop on the desk.
 
I think i saw on listed on Craigs List the other day. Some guy went to buy it cuz it was $300 for a Latitude D600. Turns out that Serial/Tag was scratched off. Stolen of course.
 
(court transcript) So, Mr. Lebowski, the fact that it is a crime to steal from others matters not to you; just whether it's "worth it"? (court transcript)



 
Originally posted by: cjgallen
Kensington locks are your friend.

We have had laptops stolen despite Targus locks being on them. Some have taken the cart/table they were on. Broke off part of the laptop or somehow busted the piece of metal and plastic that locks into the laptops backside.
 
Originally posted by: cjgallen
Kensington locks are your friend.

Bah, you can pop open those things with a friggin pen cap if you're patient enough. Personally, I'd just cut the wire with a pair of bolt cutters... it would take about 10 seconds.
 
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