Absolute Software Corporation
(“Absolute” or the “Company”), the leading provider of firmware-based,
patented Computrace Computer Theft Recovery, Data Protection and Secure Asset
Tracking announces several recent incidents where its consumer product –
Computrace LoJack for Laptops – recovered stolen laptops and thwarted
computer criminals. In the most recent quarter, Absolute’s theft recovery
services have: led police to home invasion suspects, recovered a US citizen’s
laptop stolen in Argentina and helped Arizona detectives apprehend a convicted
felon.
Like other Absolute products, Computrace LoJack for Laptops uses the
Internet to track and recover missing laptop computers. Absolute has
successfully recovered thousands of laptops and in the process, has assisted
police departments in solving other crimes, breaking theft rings, and
apprehending and prosecuting criminals.
According to Detective Dave Butler of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s
Department, “Following the theft of a laptop in a residential burglary,
Absolute’s Recovery Team provided real-time, actionable information on the
location of the stolen computer. We executed a search warrant at a motel and
arrested the suspect while he was still online. The laptop was returned intact
to its owner. This was my first experience with Absolute’s Recovery Team, and
their responsiveness was exceptional. I would recommend their products to
anyone who owns a laptop and wants to keep it.”
Among the hundreds of computers recently recovered with the help of
Computrace are the following computer recovery stories:
Absolute Recovers Laptop: Leads Police to Home Invasion Suspects
A student at a Connecticut-based University awoke to find three
shotgun-wielding home invaders in his room. At gun point, the thieves made off
with his wallet, cellular phone, car keys and notebook computer. Fortunately,
he wasn’t hurt and the University had installed Absolute’s Computrace LoJack
for Laptops in his university issued laptop. The University immediately
alerted Absolute’s Recovery Team.
While Bridgeport police officials were initially skeptical, they realized
the value of Absolute’s product when, four days later, Absolute was able to
provide its location information along with names of three individuals who
were known felons to police and possibly involved in the invasion. After
working with the Absolute Recovery Team to obtain a search warrant, Bridgeport
police recovered the laptop along with other stolen property and are pursuing
an investigation into the alleged home invaders
.
Computer Signals Authorities: Leads to Arrest of Convicted Felon
After a thief broke into a locked car and escaped with a laptop and other
electronic equipment, the victim immediately informed law enforcement in
Chandler, Arizona, and the Absolute Recovery Team.
The laptop was protected by Computrace LoJack for Laptops, which allowed
the Recovery Team to provide Chandler law enforcement officials with the IP
address of the laptop as soon as it went online. A detective then used this
information to subpoena the thief’s home address from his Internet Service
Provider (“ISP”) and went to the residence with a search warrant. The suspect,
a convicted felon prohibited from possessing firearms, was found in possession
of the stolen laptop computer. Other items confiscated at the scene included:
various handguns, rifles, shotguns, a large sword as well as illegal drugs and
other allegedly stolen property.
LoJack for Laptops Recovers US Citizen’s Laptop Stolen in Argentina
When student Steve Kinard bought his Dell Inspiron laptop, he didn’t give
much thought to the fact that a subscription to Computrace LoJack for Laptops
was included in his Dell CompleteCare warranty. He was glad it was when
while studying abroad in Buenos Aires, his new laptop was stolen. In a brazen,
daylight theft, his computer was taken from a bag sitting beside his chair
while he ate lunch at a restaurant. When he realized his laptop was missing,
he reported the theft to the Absolute Recovery Team.
Unencumbered by international borders, Computrace LoJack for Laptops
allowed the Recovery Team to identify where the stolen computer was as soon as
it accessed the Internet. Then, working with Buenos Aires police officers and
Car Security (a LoJack Corporation licensee), the Theft Recovery Team provided
critical location information, leading to the successful recovery of the
stolen computer – Absolute’s first computer theft recovery in Argentina(1).
How It Works
When a Computrace-equipped computer is reported stolen, the embedded
Computrace agent sends a silent signal to Absolute’s Monitoring Center
providing critical location information. Absolute then works with local law
enforcement to recover the computer, and, if necessary, assists with search
warrant applications and subpoenas to ISPs. The stealthy Computrace software
agent can survive accidental or deliberate attempts at removal or disablement.
With embedded support in the BIOS(2) firmware of a computer, the Computrace
agent is capable of surviving operating system re-installations, as well as
hard-drive reformats, replacements and re-imaging.
For more information on Absolute Software and its range of Computer Theft
Recovery, Data Protection and Secure Asset Tracking solutions, please
visit www.absolute.com or www.lojackforlaptops.com.
For more information on Absolute’s success in recovering lost or stolen
computers, please visit:
http://www.absolute.com/resources/resources-by-market.asp
