(3/21/99)

Many of you own a laptop computer. You use it at work and/or at home. Laptops are handy, easy to haul around, a easy for thieves to steal.

Theft of portable computers is becoming a national epidemic, and it's catching on here in Utah, as well.

Greg Morton, of Thom Luke Sales, says, "It was the evening of March first. As near as we can tell, the only thing that was taken was the laptop and the case that it goes with."

Another laptop computer stolen from a business office. In Midvale alone, there have been 73 reported laptop thefts in the last year.

Police say some of the thefts have resulted from computers and equipment being left out in the open.. in vehicles.

But the majority are crimes of opportunity inside business offices. Detective Greg Wathen, of the Midvale police department, says, "A suspect has easy access to computer equipment. People, because they don't expect to be a victim, sometimes can be careless without being aware of it. They may not lock a door."

Airports are also a hot spot for lap top thefts. Bags left unattended on the plane or in the terminal are easily snatched up.

There are also cases of brazen thieves grabbing laptops while the owners were waiting in line to pass through a metal detector.

There are various styles and prices of laptops. But the one thing they all have in common... if your computer gets stolen, it's hard to get it back.

Detective Wathen explains, "The victims have given us a serial number to the equipment. The item is placed on a computer so if it were checked by any officer it would show a stolen property item. However, almost none of those turn up."

In fact, police say it's very hard to recover stolen laptops, and detectives aren't sure where they are all ending up.

Some police suspect a lot of theives keep them for their own use.

In other cases, they are sold through newspaper ads, or to pawn shops.

A recent estimate by Safeware, a specialist in computer insurance, says the theft of laptop computers is a crime problem with about a $300- billion a year price tag.

To avoid having your laptop stolen, never leave it unattended in full view. If you leave your computer at work or home, put it in a secure location. Also, write down all security numbers. There are a few anti-theft devices for laptops on the market. But experts say insuring your computer may be the best bet.