stolen laptop at work

[PatboyX]

heres what we know:

iBook went missing a couple months back.
no one reported it.
this past week, it was reported as not being there.
there are memos sent out to all faculty and staff requesting that iBook #____ be returned if it was borrowed. (keep in mind these laptops are not our loaners)

laptop gets returned to one of our technicians offices during the morning while they are not there. no one sees who returns it the laptop is simply sitting on a desk chair. upon starting the laptop we find that someone has installed system X over-top the system 9 that was on it. this sort of FUBARed the machine for whoever had it...

now
does anyone know any ways to try and determine a timeline of events for the machine?
we've checked recent documents but unfortunatly in X, there are none and the 9 ones, while present, do very little to help build a picture of who might have taken it.

thanks for any advice.

 

[Ogg]

:roll:

 

[deftron]

Just be glad you got it back

 

[dquan97]

dust for fingerprints?

 

[Modeps]

I think you want Sherlock Holmes, batman isnt exactly a crime solver, he's a crime fighter.

 

[Jzero]

Not a whole lot you can do, but digging through the browser history can sometimes be very useful.
Although without any suspects, it's kind of like searching for a needle in a haystack.

 

[Beattie]

If someone installed OS X then they must have set up a user account. See if they were dumb enough to use thier own name. Also, you can try checking the system logs to see if it was used to log into DSL or something somewhere. That might give a username.

Also, you can check the web browser cache and see if the person went to any websites that they might have to sign in to and have saved log in info.

And you can try checking the "KeyChain" app. that has login info and passwords for everything.

probably other ways also.

 

[PatboyX]

Originally posted by: Modeps
I think you want Sherlock Holmes, batman isnt exactly a crime solver, he's a crime fighter.

obviously, someone doesnt know theft important things
1. sherlock holmes is a fictional character
2. batman is the worlds greatest detective
3. theft is a crime, so....even if he was just a crime fighter, he would help.

beattie:
we looked through the history and cache but becuase they installed x, it wiped out a lot of the already installed applications and cache folders created originally. we figure they had 9.2.2 running for a while before they decided to put X on.
user account was the first thing i thought of but they just had "admin" and no real nformation.

 

[sygyzy]

Originally posted by: PatboyX

Originally posted by: Modeps
I think you want Sherlock Holmes, batman isnt exactly a crime solver, he's a crime fighter.

obviously, someone doesnt know theft important things
1. sherlock holmes is a fictional character
2. batman is the worlds greatest detective
3. theft is a crime, so....even if he was just a crime fighter, he would help.

With a post like that, it's no wonder you can't solve this "mystery"

 

[Beattie]

Originally posted by: PatboyX

Originally posted by: Modeps
I think you want Sherlock Holmes, batman isnt exactly a crime solver, he's a crime fighter.

obviously, someone doesnt know theft important things
1. sherlock holmes is a fictional character
2. batman is the worlds greatest detective
3. theft is a crime, so....even if he was just a crime fighter, he would help.

beattie:
we looked through the history and cache but becuase they installed x, it wiped out a lot of the already installed applications and cache folders created originally. we figure they had 9.2.2 running for a while before they decided to put X on.
user account was the first thing i thought of but they just had "admin" and no real nformation.

I would still check keychain. If they went anywhere and logged in to a website, or any program like iChat or something, there might be info there.

You might be able to check the network config if people there have static IPs and then compare it to who the IP is assigned to. Or compare MAC addresses to the logs and see where it was connected from. These are things I used when I was at Rutgers and needed to track people down.

If they really did install it very recently, and there's really no info there, then there's not much you can do.

 

[GasX]

You have the laptop back. There is no problem. The only problem is that YOU failed to keep the laptop secure originally. Fortunately for you, your well hyped witch hunt is going to distract everyone from your original errors...

I hope you fry the guy for returning the PC when requested...

 

[bmacd]

like others have said, be grateful it's back...

-=bmacd=-

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: Modeps
I think you want Sherlock Holmes, batman isnt exactly a crime solver, he's a crime fighter.

thats what I was thinking...

 

[Beattie]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
You have the laptop back. There is no problem. The only problem is that YOU failed to keep the laptop secure originally. Fortunately for you, your well hyped witch hunt is going to distract everyone from your original errors...

I hope you fry the guy for returning the PC when requested...

While it's true that the guy gave the thing back when requested and that sort of lessens the impact of the crime, saying "YOU failed to keep the laptop secure originally" is akin to saying "so the robber broke in and stole your TV. It's YOUR fault for not securing your house."

 

[PatboyX]

Originally posted by: Mwilding
You have the laptop back. There is no problem. The only problem is that YOU failed to keep the laptop secure originally. Fortunately for you, your well hyped witch hunt is going to distract everyone from your original errors...

I hope you fry the guy for returning the PC when requested...

ummm...its not my responsibility, which is what i believe you were so subtly hinting at.
you're right about repercussions falling on those whose job it is to keep tabs on the laptops, though.
im simply trying becuase my boss asked me to, to try and figure out who had it.

also: you need to relax, buddy. i asked for help, not judgement. next time take a moment to think before posting accusations and this crazy paranoid delusion of some intense witch hunt i have orchestrated.

the problem is not that it was returned, but that it was not supposed to be removed to begin with. we have spoken to those in charge of keeping our laptop records about why it wasnt looked after properly.
but
yeah, if you want, send me your resume, you're ability to jump to conclusions without fully understanding the situation and imposing your limited understanding on those closer to the incident in question makes me feel like you'd be perfect for an administrative position in the district!

 

[Ness]

Is there any sort of registration involved with OSX? I'm sure if you call Apple and remind them that you have purchased a number of their laptops they might give you the name of the person who registered it.

 

[Nanotech]

Originally posted by: deftron
Just be glad you got it back

Exactly, why waste your time? If you really want to make a big deal about it simply call all the suspects (those who got the missing laptop email) and question them one by one until you come across someone who appears guilty.

Generally, those who steal and especially those who steal and return the items are not good liars and if asked straight out did you take this they will not be able to hide it.

 

[KK]

I would give back a Mac also.

KK

 

[GasX]

Originally posted by: PatboyX

Originally posted by: Mwilding
You have the laptop back. There is no problem. The only problem is that YOU failed to keep the laptop secure originally. Fortunately for you, your well hyped witch hunt is going to distract everyone from your original errors...

I hope you fry the guy for returning the PC when requested...

ummm...its not my responsibility, which is what i believe you were so subtly hinting at.
you're right about repercussions falling on those whose job it is to keep tabs on the laptops, though.
im simply trying becuase my boss asked me to, to try and figure out who had it.

also: you need to relax, buddy. i asked for help, not judgement. next time take a moment to think before posting accusations and this crazy paranoid delusion of some intense witch hunt i have orchestrated.

the problem is not that it was returned, but that it was not supposed to be removed to begin with. we have spoken to those in charge of keeping our laptop records about why it wasnt looked after properly.
but
yeah, if you want, send me your resume, you're ability to jump to conclusions without fully understanding the situation and imposing your limited understanding on those closer to the incident in question makes me feel like you'd be perfect for an administrative position in the district!

click me

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

It's back, not really stolen, is it? Oh well if your company wants to pay full time wages for you to track down the 'thief'... :beer:

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: KK
I would give back a Mac also.

KK

Took long enough for this to get posted...sheesh...

 

[PatboyX]

click me

im familair with it.

few people are skilled with it in writing.

 

[Jzero]

Originally posted by: Yo_Ma-Ma
It's back, not really stolen, is it? Oh well if your company wants to pay full time wages for you to track down the 'thief'... :beer:

LOL.
So if you steal a car for a few days and then anonymously return it, you are off the hook? I'll have to remember that!

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

Originally posted by: Jzero

Originally posted by: Yo_Ma-Ma
It's back, not really stolen, is it? Oh well if your company wants to pay full time wages for you to track down the 'thief'... :beer:

LOL.
So if you steal a car for a few days and then anonymously return it, you are off the hook? I'll have to remember that!

LOL.
I didn't say that, not even close. But if you feel better clinging to that belief, then by all means, do so.

 

[PatboyX]

this has turned into such an uncomfortable thread.