Considerate Laptop Thief Returns Victim's Data on USB Key
Considerate Laptop Thief Returns Victim's Data on USB Key
Posted 10/19/2010 at 12:12am
| by Pulkit Chandna
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More often than not you would find that people who have just had their laptop stolen appear more concerned about the precious data that went with it than the machine itself.
If you have ever consoled someone mourning the loss of their laptop and the data it housed, or have yourself been consoled by someone, you would know that the sympathetic monologue at some point veers into a sermon on the advantages of backing up data and deploying anti-theft measures.
But things turned out differently for a professor at Sweden's Umeå University when he had his laptop stolen, for the thief was considerate enough to back up the laptop’s data on a USB key before mailing it to the professor’s address.
"I am very happy. This story makes me feel hope for humanity,” the unnamed professor told a Swedish newspaper. "It is my life. I have documented everything in it that has happened in the last 10 years and beyond."
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dpgdog187
October 20, 2010 at 11:19am
Is it just me or am I the only person concerned that those responsible for bringing the rest of the ranks into the realm of higher education have yet to figure out the importance or security and redundancy? Who in their right mind would entrust the combined knowledge and wealth of multiple years into such a platform as a laptop? I bet he wears socks with his Birks as well. LOL!
someuid
October 19, 2010 at 1:45pm
While the professor might feel relieved and have hope for humanity because a thief returned his data, I am not because a Professor decided it was a good idea to leave the last 10+ years of his life and career on a protable, stealable, breakable, corruptable device with no backup anywhere.
We need a 'technology license' just like we need a 'drivers licence'.
violian
October 19, 2010 at 11:18am
For as intelligent as he is, a professor, you'd think he'd be wise enough to not put everything he's accumulated in the last 10 years in one single USB flash drive....and left attached to his laptop. I keep all of my electronic documents/info on my USB flash drive, but it's always left plugged discretely into my Mac keyboard of my desktop. It's one of those nano flash drive so it's really hard to notice it's plugged in. So even if someone breaks into my house and steals my computer, I'd still have the flash drive - provided that the thief doesn't steal the keyboard - which I doubt they would. I also have a laptop, but there's NOT A SINGLE PERSONAL DOCUMENT saved on it because of fear that if someone steals it, there'd be no personal information on it.
rpcblast
October 19, 2010 at 9:37am
call my cynical, but I think there is another possibility as to the motives: he could be sending a message: I know everything about you, and heres the proof. Could be the theif could exploit this information later, or at least as a deterant to the owner filing charges
quickone
October 19, 2010 at 6:21am
But it would be a little creepy knowing that the thief knows where you live and everything there is to know about you. But it is nice, replacing the computer isn't hard, it is collecting all the data, programs and everything else that is what you dread.
One of my friends had her purse stolen and the thief dropped off her drivers license and student ID. Didn't just mail it, dropped them in the mailbox that is on her porch.
SEALBoy
October 19, 2010 at 3:50am
If I ever had to have something of mine stolen... I'd sleep a little better knowing this guy was the thief.
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