Stolen Computer Help!

HelpOrInfoNeeded · 18-06-2011, 13:46

Hi,

Please excuse my computer ignorance but I was hoping someone could give me some advice.

We had a brand new desktop computer stolen from work (university campus) we have the mac address of the item, serial number etc. The network guys have checked and it hasn't been used on the Network but can you find out if it has been used outside of the uni network?

There was no Dropbox or anything installed to trace it but is there a way of tracking it down through the mac address if the computer is not online? Is it possible to trace it through previous online use - just incase they are no longer using it due to it's loss being highlighted?

Any advice would be very helpful.

Thanks,
Dave

Kymmy · 18-06-2011, 13:55

The MAC will be for the network card, anyone using it via a cable or adsl modem only the modem mac will be visible so no chance of tracking it down.

HelpOrInfoNeeded · 18-06-2011, 14:14

Thanks for your reply. I think I see the internet and all things computers as a lot more than they really are. Was convinced you would be able to track it down to the exact house!

So no way of it being tracked at all.

Kymmy · 18-06-2011, 14:19

Nope..

Even if they did publicise the mac online it's then the police who would apply for details from the ISP via a court order .. a long process..

Is it data you want on it? if so then sorry to say it's very likely to have been deleted

HelpOrInfoNeeded · 18-06-2011, 14:21

No, it was brand new so there was no data on it. It's just the principle of it and now the whole process of claiming on insurance. It's probably unlikely that the police will go to that much trouble. How long would mac address details be recorded for? Just in case they do get round to checking.

Thanks for all the help.

Kymmy · 18-06-2011, 14:41

If they're recorded at all.

The adsl wouldn't record it at all.. VM cable users without a hub or router would have their mac referenced to the dhcp.. once that lease expires it'll probably be lost.. so only a few days..

Tracing the mac is a lost cause

joglynne · 18-06-2011, 14:55

Kind of on/off topic.

We had 35 brand spanking new computers stolen from my old office the same night as over 100 of the things had been delivered. None of us were surprised as the lorry carrying them parked in the main car park and the boxes were all clearly marked so that any passerby had no doubt about what was being delivered.

We watched them being unloaded on to trolleys and stacked in the public entrance of our DWP building, took a couple of hours and all the local scallys were obviously rubbing their hands in anticipation.

TheNorm · 18-06-2011, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

...the local scallys were obviously rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Management should have hired a security guard for the night. The costs are relatively reasonable.

joglynne · 18-06-2011, 17:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheNorm

Management should have hired a security guard for the night. The costs are relatively reasonable.

Be sensible. This theft was from a impenetrable Government building.

The only security guards we were supposed to need were to protect the staff from the public and those guards went home when we did.

The thieves got in through unsecured 1st floor windows directly above a flat single-storey extension which meant that no alarms were triggered and the first we knew of the theft was when we opened the office next morning.

devilincarnate · 18-06-2011, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

Be sensible. This theft was from a impenetrable Government building.

Is this due to the cut backs

Only joking

mrmistoffelees · 24-06-2011, 09:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

Kind of on/off topic.

We had 35 brand spanking new computers stolen from my old office the same night as over 100 of the things had been delivered. None of us were surprised as the lorry carrying them parked in the main car park and the boxes were all clearly marked so that any passerby had no doubt about what was being delivered.

We watched them being unloaded on to trolleys and stacked in the public entrance of our DWP building, took a couple of hours and all the local scallys were obviously rubbing their hands in anticipation.

When is it you get your conservatory and swimming pool built ?

joglynne · 24-06-2011, 13:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmistoffelees

When is it you get your conservatory and swimming pool built ?

It wern't me yur onour, honest.

The only satisfying part of this was that the stolen computers were specially built to be as cheap as possible, in fact they were the equivalent to electric typewriters. All the programs they ran were on the main server and they had the smallest possible HDs, processors and very little ram. With the DWP being so paranoid about protecting claimants data the stolen computers were just built to access our Intranet and would have been a great disappointment to whoever was tempted to buy them. Even the cases were bobbins.

swoop101 · 24-06-2011, 14:01

lol so the dumb **** stole dumb terminals

class, it serves them right