Watch your back when using laptops in cafes

The city of San Francisco has seen an alarming rise in the number of laptop thefts in coffee houses.  No, not the kind of theft that happens when the owner leaves the laptop on the table when he/ she goes to the restroom (which I see at least weekly).  What is occurring with greater frequency are grab and go thefts.

"I looked up, and I saw this guy leaning into me as if he was asking a question,'' he said. "I leaned forward, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone fiddling with the computer cord. I tried to stand up, and as I stepped back, he stabbed me in the chest.''

The attack marked a violent turn in a wave of crime that has hit the city -- the "hot spots" frequented by wireless laptop users are becoming hot spots for laptop robberies.

Thieves are getting very brazen because laptops are easy to fence and fetch a nice price on the black market.  This is something I wouldn’t be surprised to see becoming a problem in many big cities so watch your back in those cafes.  Some coffee shops in San Francisco are even offering Kensington locks to secure laptops to the table while patrons are working.

(San Francisco Chronicle via techdirt)

Comments

[Scotty]

I don't know what the Kensington lock is going to do when confronted by someone willing to try and murder you for a few hundred dollars worth of laptop.

Do UMPC's even come with Kensington lock slots?

The tungsten-nickel back plate in my concept slate though would stop handgun bullets and knife thrusts. :-)

[Josh Einstein]

If I ever caught anyone trying to make off with my Motion I'd probably sacrafice it just to smash it over the thief's head. I am very protective of my property. :)

[Anton P. Nym]

I have this strange image in my head of doing one of those stereotypical "bar scene" moves from movies; smashing a coffee mug's lip against the cafe table and making a slash at the attacker with the sharpened edge.

Time to up my dosage, Nurse... :)

-- Steve