Fun_People Archive
16 Apr
A tip for laptop-travelers...

Date: Tue, 16 Apr 96 14:09:14 -0700
From: Peter Langston <psl>
To: Fun_People
Subject: A tip for laptop-travelers...

Forwarded-by: Keith Bostic <bostic@bsdi.com>
Forwarded-by: Margo Seltzer <margo@eecs.harvard.edu>
Forwarded-by: "Bertonis, Jeanne M. (SC)" <JMBERTON@guidant.com>

Subject: Information shared by one of our DCCs

Please share this information with any potential laptop-traveler.

We've recently learned of a hustle that's being employed at airports all
across the country to steal laptop computers.  It involves two persons
who look for a victim carrying a laptop and approaching a metal detector.
They position themselves in front of the unsuspecting passenger.  They
stall until the mark puts the laptop computer on the conveyor belt.  Then
the first subject moves through the metal detector easily.  The second
subject sets off the detector and begins a slow process of emptying
pockets, removing jewelry, etc.  While this is happening, the first
subject takes the laptop as soon as it appears on the conveyor belt and
moves away quickly.  When the passenger finally gets through the metal
detector, the laptop is gone. The subject that picks it up heads into the
gate area and disappears among the crowd.  Sometimes a third subject will
take a hand off from the first subject and the computer is out of the
restricted area before the mark even knows that it is gone.

This is becoming a widely practiced problem and is happening at airports
everywhere.  When traveling with a laptop computer, try to avoid lines to
enter a metal detector when possible.  When you can't do that, delay
putting your luggage and laptop on the conveyor belt
 until you are sure that you will be the next person through the metal
detector.  As you move through the metal detector, keep your eyes on the
conveyor belt and watch for your luggage and laptop to come through, as
well as watching for what those in front of you are picking up.

© 1996 Peter Langston