Laptop Theft Aftermath Witnessed by Journalist: The Details
By Rico, 7:07 am Fri Apr 10 2009 - News - 2 Opinions
Really be careful folks! As if our story on stolen Macbook Pros weren’t enough, Annalyn Jusay of the Manila Bulletin reports on witnessing the scene created by yet another laptop theft. Here are the details:
- The theft occurred last April 8 in the parking lot of S & R Macapagal
- “In a relatively well-lit parking lot with security guards.”
- The glass window of the victim’s car, a Mitsubishi Montero SUV, was broken in.
- “Losses included a brand new Acer laptop and money in six figures.”
- Reports indicate the victim was a VP of Volvo based in Singapore.
Annalyn goes beyond mere reporting, and shares a trend he’s noticed: “SUVs and other luxury vehicles seem to be the preferred targets. The newer the car, the better.”
And I agree with her: do not leave something as valuable as a laptop and lots of cash within your car. Automobiles aren’t safes you know, and as more local criminals realize that more Filipinos own laptops that are ripe for taking, owners should be more vigilant than ever.
BrianB
1:01 pm Sun Apr 12 2009
Don’t underestimate thieves. They may not be book smart but they are smart. I’ve read a few reactions on last month’s spate of gadget theft. They blame the guard? It’s not their responsibility to protect your belongings. Even in guarded parking lots, their job is limited to not allowing vehicles in for free and preventing vehicles without tickets from going out. Your 50 pesos does not get you extra protection. Malls are another story. I believe garages in malls should enjoy the same protection as the actual mall area.
I also wonder why some known repositories of stolen goods are not being raided?
Private vehicles actually court trouble. You may run someone over. You may hit another vehicle. You get carjacked, all of which could make a pauper and debtor of you. So from successful yuppie to pauper with a ton of credit card debts, plus the trauma, which eventually got one friend fired. I know two people who have experienced this. One, luckily, got a high-paying job recently in Singapore, so financial problems solved.
Rico
7:07 pm Sun Apr 12 2009
I agree that people shouldn’t expect security from parking lots. That’s why they print disclaimers claiming that they’re not liable for theft or loss property within the lot after all. Though I will say that private vehicles, like anything else, require responsibility to minimize potential trouble.