Yesterday I told you about how my house was broken into and with the help of Kris Cain, Little Tech Girl, I was able to find who was on my computer.
The morning after the burglary, I waited to go the police department until my friend had assigned my case to a detective and hand delivered it to him. I had to go downtown and explain what Kris and I had done to get the information we did. Then the detective looked up the name that we had given him. The person was a 26 year old male that had no record, not even a traffic ticket. He was only in the system because of a wreck about 3 years ago.
The detective showed me a picture of him from his driver’s license. I got happy immediately because it matched the picture that we found on Facebook. But the address that showed was a different one than the one we found.
The detective told me that he would be going by the house to pick up the guy and I went home. I found out that the guy on my computer was picked up and was scared as hell. He gave the cops my Toshiba laptop, wireless mouse, and the tray it sat on. He told them that his brother, dad and him had purchased the laptop from one of his brothers friends the day before.
Next they went to the high school to pick the brother up. He also said the same story. That is all the information that I received that day.
When I got home from work I asked my kids who was picked up from school by the police? apparently this kid was in both of my high school kids class, but they had heard he was picked up for smoking in the bathroom.
On Friday the detective called me to tell me the laptop was at the station and I could come pick it up. He also told me that he could not hold the guys who had the laptop because they claimed that they did not know it was stolen even though they purchased this $700 laptop for $100 from a kid they knew was a hoodlum.
The brother that was picked up from school gave the name of the kid who sold them the laptop. The kid is 16 years old and already has a warrant out for his arrest for another crime. He has been to my house a few years ago when my 16 year old was in middle school. But only one time. In fact he spoke to my 14 year old daughter at the football game the Friday before the break in. Which makes this story that much more creepy.
He is not behind bars yet, but I know who broke in to my house. Oh, and I asked the detective if he told the guy that was on the computer that I watched everything he did including download illegal music and porn. He said the guy was freaked out. It is taking everything in my not to go knock on their door to question them myself and let his mom know what he was doing online.
The detective also told me that this 16 year old kid looks to be the same burglar that has been breaking into houses in my neighborhood since school went back in last week.
I can only imagine what this kid will be doing in 10 years from now. Will he ever change or forever be a menace to society?
I wrote a post about some programs and devices that you can protect your laptop and gadgets, property or home with in case this happens to you. There are many things out there that I have access to and could have taken advantage of that I was too lazy to set up or install.
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This is great stuff. I really need to do something about my laptop, scary the amount of stuff I have on here. Do you have any ideas for rigging the home?
Glad you got your laptop back, I know that boy was terrified when he learned you were watching him…ha!
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You are MY HERO!
What happened is awful, but how you dealt with it is Fantastic! Way to keep a cool head! I would have been Freaking Out.
In my neighborhood, theft is a constant worry. I don’t have Team Viewer or anything like that installed on my computer. You’ve given me pause. I’m going to have to investigate the security measures you gave us, because that could happen to me at the drop of a hat.
Good job TechChick!
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Twitter: dulcedelauryn
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I’m glad you were able to figure out who did it and recovered your stuff.
That kid is still walking around freely? He needs to be arrested, like immediately!
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Although technology allows us access to information like never before, it seems as if the kids are getting stupider, and stupider (miss-spelling/wrong use intended). I read your other post you mentioned, and I should have done something to protect my son’s computer. He’s away at college, and just incase someone wants to help themselves to his computer.
Someone should tell his mother what he was doing online. Today he’s a theif, tomorrow who knows!
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Jess, I would SO be headed to that mom’s house. I would also do a very nice version of scared straight for that kid! Give him a good idea how much a “stolen laptop” effected you and your line of work.. Oh and just maybe you can tell him it’s a federal offense to download music illegally
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Way to go! I’ll be watching for your advice, definitely. I’m also wondering what system do you use to back up your computers? I’m always looking for the next hot thing…
Hope your kids are feeling okay – and that they are impressed with their techy mama!
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That is awesome! I’m glad you were able to get your stuff back, and I sure wouldn’t mess with you after that! Definitely not a good idea to go knocking on the kid’s door though, so good idea refraining from doing so. Although I’d probably want to do it and knock his teeth down his throat. What a violating feeling to have your house broken into.
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Very smart! You know what you are doing! I wouldn’t want you watching me. AND I can’t believe you have restrained yourself from going and knocking on that guys door…I so would have!
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