Dynamite anti-theft options?

In the last two days I've had a friend's friend lose a laptop (stolen out of her car), and 10 minutes ago my brother's repo truck had the window smashed out and some **** tard stole his work laptop while he was grabbing a car out of tight parking lot.

Is it legal or feasable to install explosives in your laptop, and have a network app auto contact a server every 10 minutes to see if your laptop is stolen or not.. and if it is, blow the worthless jackass up?

This is in addition to my brother having his MacBook stolen the day we got to Los Angeles out of his apartment... (And why I wish I knew some IRA guys to get pointers....)

Can you tell I'm ?

 

I think that a little C4 would work better and the nice almond smell of the computer would be a plus. With a little thought, it could be detonated with a cell phone, just like the hajis.

The investigators would have to work the scene with a sponge, push broom and a sharp stick. Use your imagination for uses of the tools.

 

There's a company that sells a service kind of like that. They give you a file that installs into the BIOS itself and if you report it stolen to the company, the next time someone connects to the internet no matter what OS, or anything since it's in the BIOS, it tells the company where they are who will in turn work with you and the cops.

 

Pappy; I like it!

Zero; But I won't get the satisfaction of killing the SOB!

But I have seen those services... I wonder if you could apply it to the CF-28 firmware, which seems picky.

 

Yeah, unfortunately, for anything you might be able to homebrew, you'd pretty much have to hollow out the entire laptop to get any useful kind of explosion. I dunno how useful a laptop shell full of fertilizer would be though...:twitcy:

I suppose you could get Lojak for Laptops & write a script to turn on the HD heater when it arms...

mnem
*Puts on his Mr Rogers sweater* Can you say BOOOM! Boys and Girls?

 

Killing?! Why release him from all of the agony you could put him through? Sure a remote detonation would be fun since hey, explosions are fun. But wouldn't you feel more satisfied having removed his spleen without anesthetic or put a hot metal rod through is gall bladder or maybe heated up a syringe and stuck it into his eye thereby cauterizing the entry wound and boiling the fluid causing the eye to explode? Er... not that I'd ever condone such a thing, being the upright citizen I am.

 

HA! I suppose I'd be content with a small enough explosion to remove anything near his lap region. At least he won't make more thieves

But this theft thing is getting ridiculous. Laptops are easy targets and there is little anybody can do to prevent it. The only "solutions" are to lock it down, which may work for permanent car mounted solutions, or at the office...

My brother is happy though that they did not target more items in his truck. He's got some $$$ in vehicle entry tools (That would be BAD for a thief to have!), and his iPod, digital camera, and his GPS unit were all left in the truck. They went for the "highest dollar" item and split fast.

Dumb thieves though... the laptop was worth less than his GPS unit.

 

one word: Kodiak!

 

Now how are you going to keep a kodiak bear in the truck?

 

i was thinking of the steel kind with a lock on it! but, the bear would probably deter theft as well. only problem with that option is, i don't think bears s**t only in the woods..

 

Just got a phone call from my brother. The DVR system in the repo truck had three of it's cameras get good video of the tards that broke in.

It was mexican kids, and one of them was the lookout, and they ran just off camera right as my brother walked back.

It also showed the apartment building that they walked out of a few minutes before, then right after, as well as a good face shot.

So...

 

You guys are sick!
Video is a good thing, sounds like they are busted!
Does he not have a BIG dog that he takes with him? Sure would be consideration for me if I were in that kind of work. I have a Gamble/Johns Mount in one of my trucks, the lock would sure slow them down. Aside from being violated, since it is "Mounted" in my vehicle, my auto insurance covers it. I have so much worth of radio equipment and the computer, I took the truck to the insurance company and let them inspect it. They confirmed that all the items "Installed" "Attached" were covered.
Rick H...

 

I don't know about the "big dog" idea there Rick... I know my buddy who ran a wrecker had to stop taking his big red Doberman out on jobs due to insurance; they refused to cover him until he did as they saw the dog as a liability if he got loose and attacked someone while my buddy was on the job! NO LIE!

Good thing about the video... though I imagine it must suck having big brother watching over yer arse alla time while yer working. Imagine if the operator got in a fenderbender - trial lawyers can subpoena that crap and use it to paint a picture of recklessness, even if he was parked and the adverse client ran into HIM...

mnem<~~~ Is grievously concerned about the recent trend in law enforcement - having automated cameras replace a human being as the agent of the law. What ever happened to your right to face your accuser?*

 

Actually, somebody did t-bone him a few weeks ago in the truck, but the cameras didn't point in the right direction to capture anything useful for his case.

I really hope it pans out good for him though, and I've gotta figure a way to secure laptops better, or at least get them back with a higher success rate.

 

Modly - I wasn't joking about Lojak 4 Laptops - its fer real. It can be run as a hidden process; unless the thief nukes & paves the HD without EVER connecting to the internet (How likely is THAT?) it's gonna find them. They claim a 75% recovery rate; much better than the 3% average the FBI states (According to their site).

HEY! They've dropped their rates - the last time I checked in on them, it was $100 a year... now you get 3 years for that...

mnem
*Thinking about gettin' a little insurance himself... maybe .45 caliber...*

 

That's odd, I was gonna get myself some 9mm insurance!

 

I dunno... I still remember my first experience with a Glock 9mm... I was about 20, and I had a deer run into the rear quarter of my truck at highway speed. Short story, the deer's hindquarters got caught between the fender and the leading edge of the rear bumper, and it literally ripped one complete haunch right off that animal. I called the NY State Police from the house it happened in front of to have them come put the animal out of its misery; I then went back out to wait with that poor suffering animal for another 40 minutes before the Trooper showed up. I then spent another 10 minutes explaining everything to him I had already explained over the phone to dispatch; he THEN wanted to fill out paperwork(Yes, the poor animal was STILL alive; at this point it was actually trying to get up & run away - no, I don't know how it had managed to not bleed out yet). At this point I insisted he PLEASE end that animal's suffering; I would do the paperwork after. He went over to the deer, placed the barrel between his eyes and squeezed the trigger POP... the deer tried again to get up & run away; the Trooper shot him 3 more times before he flopped & stayed down. Had I even IMAGINED this poor creature would suffer so long then die in such terror, I would have driven the 5 more minutes to my home & gotten my granddad's 16 gage (I know from experience that would have taken 1 shot) and ended his misery BEFORE I called the State Police...

mnem
*Compassion is not only what we do for those we can help; but also what we do for those we cannot*

 

The only problem with big dogs in vehicles is that being humane requires one to leave a window down partially, a moon roof open, or something for ventillation. The inner city kids learn early that K-9 Officers become Mr Very unhappy after they slip a couple of sticks of butter through the ventillation opening and Mr. Police Dog eats it up and takes a huge dump in the unit. Not a great combo for riding around the hood for eight to ten.

 

I was gonna get a Glock 26 (compact 9mm) to carry. Being a city boy, I usually don't have deer to deal with.

I do see how that would be downside to a small firearm though, incase you needed to put down a deer.

Pappy; Time to teach the K9 dog to bite their fingers off!

 

that is funny! never knew butter would do that

 

It's not so much what you shoot them with (within reason) it's where you shoot them. The Trooper probably didn't have a lot of experience with animals.

As far as Modly's choices, buy whatever you will "really" have with you. anything else is fantasy.

 

Modly -

I guess my point was more of a dramatization of the difference in stopping power between .45 caliber (Which we both know would have taken half that deer's head off with one shot) and 9mm. I'm not a cop - if I'm in enough peril I feel the need to draw a weapon - ANY weapon - I'm going for the kill, not trying to disable. I'll argue the fine points later.

mnem
Fear not; for ye cannot be undone, only ended.

 

The 9mm and .45 are both going to punch a slightly larger than caliber hole in the skull of a deer; not take half of the head off. If you make a bad shot with either, it remains a bad shot.

I prefer the .45 because it punches a slightly larger hole to let out air and blood. That said, I carried (by policy) a 9mm for a lot of years, and it filled the intended purpose quite well.

Oppinions are personal and therefore to be respected. I certainly intended no offense to anyone who posts here.

 

Mmmmhmmm... I watched him - I might have shot a little lower between the eyes, but not much different. I do know that old man Valent, who my grandfather had butcher all our farm foodstock, used a .22 and ALWAYS put them down with one shot. He showed me how to do it; but I wouldn't know how to explain it myself.

As for the choice, you're absolutely right - buy what you know you will carry; "I would have dropped him with my Colt .45" is trumped by far with "I busted a cap in his knee with my .22"

mnem
Never bring a knife to a gunfight.

 

OFFENDED? Arrrough? I most certainly was not offended; I promise. I hope I did not offend.

As for my comment regarding "take half his head off", I've seen it with my own eyes - a Colt .45 carries more than enough ballistic mass to go through a deer's cranium, and the exit damage was indeed nearly half the animal's skull. The evidence of my encounter with the 9mm indicated it did not exit the animal's skull at all. This is only my experience; your mileage may vary.

Again, I hope I did not offend.

mnem
Statistically, an average citizen is more likely to be shot with his own handgun than to shoot an actual intruder. He is also more likely to die of beestings.

 

The K-9 copper I know in these parts have a special equip car. Will either crack the windows or start the AC if need be. The car he drives is junk but the toys are cool.
You mean to tell me in that line of work he does not carry?
I have been lucky I guess, hate to think thats all it is but in this day and age... even the nicest of areas can get struck I guess.
And 9mm to dispatch a deer, BEHIND the ear jeeeeeez.
Well hope he gets his stuff back, dang punks anyway!
Rick H...

 

Now that you say that, I remember that was the way my grandfather shot the deer I spoke of earlier that caused so much damage; transversely from behind one ear towards just in front of the other. I guess I'd have done it wrong myself based on what the old butcher showed me; but the mass of a 16 gage Brenneke would have probably bailed me out anyhow.

I give up... I've replayed the splatter in my own mind enough times I'm sick of it.

mnem
*Toddles off to clear his head by playing with his baby Marcus*

 

Personally... I have one of these....



Just got the Streamlight M6 light/laser... VERY sweet!

And I have LOTS & LOTS of these.... (147Gr +P+)



But I guess you could always install this in the Toughbook.... Could be doable!

http://www.pimall.com/nais/shockalarmbriefcase.html

 

Nice .45!

I also like the idea of an alarm, but I'd like a larger radius. I think it'd be nice to have a 50 foot radius, or even 100 feet, and have it start making a huge noise.

But you're on to something. Keep a transmitter in your pocket (Keychain possibly), and a small switch hidden under the battery door so you can leave it at home without going nuts when you walk out the door.

 

That's the H&K USP .45 ACP, right? I was looking at a .45 USP Compact Tactical w/Laser at the Civic Center last month... But don't the .45 ACPs usually carry more like a 220-240 Gr load? Or do you have the 9mm? Sounds right for a .38/9mm round...
As for the briefcase - I saw one of those at the local spy shop here in SA - I think their 85DB rating is a bit conservative - that thing was F#$%ING LOUD! I'M AWAKE!



mnem
Gotta love those Hydra-Shock rounds... unless yer on the wrong end of 'em.

 

I was gonna put a 140dB piezo siren inside my car when I got a car alarm for it... those could fit the bill I think.

I always wondered why people stuck with the semi-loud siren outside of the car thing, while logically it seems like the better plan would be to have a really LOUD siren inside so the thief goes deaf and wants out of your car ASAP.

 

Actually, when I used to work at Car Tunes, INC - an internal aux siren WAS a popular option - except I've heard that since then, some car owners have been sued by people who "accidentally" suffered hearing loss from them.

Another thing the old-timers used to do to tamper-resist their cars: they'd put a second battery in the trunk to feed an old model T ignition coil (these had an exciter circuit that kept them producing spark all the time they had power applied) with an insulated keyswitch in the fender. They'd complete the circuit by means of a bit of chain just long enough to touch ground when the vehicle came to a stop. Any person touching any metal part of the car would receive quite a shock. Can you imagine in this day & age, even if you had warnings posted in every window, what would happen to the owner of such a vehicle? Good lord - they'd eat him alive in court.

mnem
We no longer live in the Space Age... now its the Age of Litigation...

 

I'd be more worried about high voltage/amp electric pulses around some good electronics than somebody suing... (I've got a sawzall, a spare casket, and a hearse...)

 

TB - your in a pretty communist anti gun state for that piece, don't you know that the govt will be their to help you when that bad man comes- crap. Lots of Liberals in VA but very easy to get a CCW permit to carry legal, I have not left home with out one for years now and love knowing I have options other than huddle and hide - carry a SIG 220 SAO .45 with Hornaday 230Gr +P Hollowpionts. 9mm is better that nothing but like having to .45 - What a great country we live in - computers, Guns and whiskey. gotta love it.

 

I think that's what makes both this country, and this section on NBR great. Everybody here likes guns, modifying computers behind reasonable specs, and we've all got an alcoholic preference

I gotta see if I can transfer a Michigan CCW to Oregon... Thanks for reminding me

 

I wonder how long these threads will be archived. One day in the not too distant future, we'll sit around looking back at this and wondering how we let these freedoms slip through our fingers!

 

I really hope it doesn't come to that. But sadly you're right, and unless things change direction we'll be out of luck.

 

Looks like Oregon will require you to apply for their CCW - they don't even recognize any other states CCW - Pretty rude attitidue but anyway looks like you will get to know the Sheriff, in a good way -

 

Oh, things will change allright.. haven't you heard hillary and barack all this time? change! change! change! we're in for changes, you can bet on that

 

But the biggest changes have already happened ie: patriot act under Bush Cheney

 

Agreed...

mnem
Ah think ah'm gonna haveta change muh fa-a-ace...

 

Yeah... along with the freedom to TALK about those freedoms!

mnem
Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.

 

Nah, we'll never see these posts because they'll have been erased from all of the systems. I assume some of you have seen Intel, AT&T, and Verizon all have announced they're going to start working on a way to filter all traffic on their pipes to "limit piracy" and "open bandwidth"? I'm sure Sprint, Comcast, and all of the other biggies are in on it too.

 

Well, filtering traffic is one thing...

I mean, they're free to restrict the nature of data passed along their cables, just as we are free to use someone else's cables, or build our own, or communicate by radio in a dozen free bands.

But erasing archives on someone else's servers; trying to edit history... that is another matter altogether.

Of course, the attention span of the average surf potato is about 35 seconds, with retention MAYBE twice that - so, who'll be around to remember the way it really was? Only a few crusty old hacks like us...

mnem<~~~ Old enough to know better, young enough to not give a d@mn...

 

There's a catch on filtering traffic. They're only allowed to do it if they do it to everybody, they can't single any specific source. To do so violates their immunity clause in a bill written up in something like 1998ish. If they single out a source, we get to sue them. They get complete and total immunity from related lawsuits as long as they treat all data the same - no priority and no individual sources limited. At least, that was the intent of the bill but we know how well that's worked out.

 

You mean like the immunity from complicity in illegal wiretapping W sez they need now, but didn't need back then, cuz then it wasn't illegal?

mnem<~~~ Used to joke about writing in Alfred E. Neuman for President; now we've got him...

 

Yup. Gotta love the irony, or cry at it, either way.

 

That reminds me of a quote I heard yesterday for an ad for the show "Lil' Bush" on comedy central.

"You always hear Obama saying 'Change!, Change!'. But that's the last thing we need. A black man in the white house asking for change"

Not politically correct, but it's funny.

 

Nope.... H&K USP 9mm... It will be the most plentiful ammo if anything "happens"..... If you know what I mean...

 

Heh... thought so. Though I heard the Chinese Army are stockpiling .45ACP... never heard why tho...

mnem<~~~ Thinking Joss Whedon was right with Firefly - maybe it IS time to start learning Mandarin...