Laptop stolen – a student’s worst end-of-term nightmare

Imagine losing one or two years’ worth of work because your laptop is gone or fails – heartbreaking! It would be difficult to lose even one final paper. It only takes a moment for your hard drive to crash or your laptop to be stolen.

Lanny Fritz, director of Campus Security, says thefts of students’ laptops are not common – but when they do occur, it happens most often in the library at the study cubicles. Thefts from offices are even less common.

Students are encouraged to secure their possessions when they leave their study spaces, even if they leave only for a few minutes to get reference materials or take a break. They could have a trusted neighbour keep an eye on their things or take them with them. 

The library is open to the public, and Campus Security makes it part of their usual campus patrols.  When they see an unattended laptop, tablet, smartphone or another personal item, they will leave a bookmark that says:

                If I had time to leave this note…
                A thief had time to steal your possessions.

Students should back up their data frequently, not primarily because of theft concerns, but in case of hard drive failure. It is a best practice for faculty and staff as well, with Information Technologies offering data backup and recovery services on campus networks.

If you are looking for something that is misplaced, check in with the Information Centre/Lost and Found located in Mac Hall. The Students’ Union operates this booth with the help of 30 volunteers. 

This Students’ Union service is the largest lost and found on campus and the most frequently used student service. Students’ Union volunteers addressed about 5,000 questions between November 2013 and March 2013. About 4,000 items were turned in from September 2012 to March 2013.