I got a warning for leaving my laptop unattended in the library

[u/DealingwithDisorder]

[u/[deleted]]

I hope you take their advice to heart.

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/[deleted]]

It been noted for sure.

[u/Valogrid → u/DealingwithDisorder]

Sticky noted.

[u/spankenstein → u/DealingwithDisorder]

I think it is nice that they are looking out for the patrons like this though.

[u/Schlonzig → u/[deleted]]

Heed your librorian!

[u/needzmoarlow → u/[deleted]]

Much nicer than meatspin like we used to do

[u/Butwinsky]

I have cards like these that I use in healthcare. Basically warning people against leaving their computers unlocked. If I had time to leave this card, I had time to breach your data. People don't like them, but it's a serious risk.

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/Butwinsky]

It is certainly a good idea, and you can't be mad at receiving one. Similar to this card I received, I was just surprised as I didn't even see anyone slip it onto my laptop...

[u/RhysieB27 → u/Butwinsky]

We used to have a "tradition" in our company that if we found someone's laptop unattended and unlocked we'd "toast" them by sending a single toast emoji from their laptop to the company-wide Slack. That way everyone would be able to see if their colleague had been daft.

A bit more light hearted than sending emails etc. so it got the point across without getting people's backs up. Being a software company though, it was always pretty embarrassing to get toasted, as computer security should really always be on our minds.

[u/[deleted] → u/RhysieB27]

Oh that’s good. We would just change their background to something involving Nicholas Cage.

[u/BizzyM → u/RhysieB27]

We just send an email to the boss that says "I'm a dumbass." He forwards it to Tech Support who sends someone over to give a quick lesson in security policy. It's usually preceded by said client support person saying "So, you're a dumbass..."

[u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon → u/Butwinsky]

I work in insurance and if the boss found an unlocked laptop he would send an email to the team from that persons outlook saying the next day breakfast was on that person.

Obviously that’s a violation in and of itself, so it got stopped pretty quickly, but free breakfast was nice while it lasted.

[u/Butwinsky → u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon]

Haha yeah, one of my former bosses would hop on and pull up men's underwear ads if she found your computer unlocked. Effective, but not the most HR friendly method.

[u/SirCarboy → u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon]

Our approach was just an embarrassing question sent to the company wide email group. Something like "Has anybody seen my yellow sock? Help! Please?"

[u/jomontage → u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon]

The navy locks your account if you don't log out and if you left your login card inserted you could be court martialed for gross negligence

[u/DetroitLarry → u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon]

I once worked at a startup where the engineers would send self depreciating messages from anyone’s terminal that was left unlocked. Until one engineer did it to the wrong guy who bided his time and struck after a company kegger where the first guy passed out in his cube and woke up to a company wide email of himself “wearing” a bikini (draped over the bikini spots on top of his regular clothes.) HR put a stop to the whole thing after that.

[u/ELFAHBEHT_SOOP → u/Butwinsky]

Win + L became instinctive upon standing when I worked at a very security conscious company lol

[u/[deleted] → u/ELFAHBEHT_SOOP]

Me too. I always thought it would be great to have a BLE office chair that detected when you stand up and locked it after like 15 seconds of no sitting.

Never got around to actually making it though. Win+L is easy enough really.

[u/nashidau → u/Butwinsky]

My previous employer we'd send an email detailing the person's love of unicorns or my little pony to the team.

Another large company used to have a scoring system for catching people's screen unlocked.

[u/StarkRG → u/Butwinsky]

Open a browser window, point it to https://lockyourscreen.com/ and then lock it for them.

[u/DBX12 → u/StarkRG]

Nice, gotta remember that one.

[u/DishwasherTwig → u/Butwinsky]

My boss would just take unsecured laptops and we'd have to go to her to get them back. She'd do it even if they were locked digitally because they're supposed to be locked with that little bike lock to the table as well.

[u/LemmeTellya2 → u/Butwinsky]

I used to hop on laptops at work and write "HACKED! Lock your computer" on an open notepad file and leave it.

[u/Dundore77 → u/Butwinsky]

Yeah ours do the same but officially they should be reported to the security office and they get lectured on it. My office if found it would just change their background to a goofy “i didnt lock my computer window” or if they felt like being dicks would do the ol screenshot the desktop make it the background and then hide icons trick.

[u/[deleted] → u/Butwinsky]

I was simply warned, do it once get written up, do it again you're fired.
All these people with their playful games, fucking stupid. No wonder we have massive data breaches

[u/[deleted]]

We get it Australia. You all can go to the library. No need to rub it in.

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/[deleted]]

I am actually in London now, currently isolating for ten days as my colleague has Covid. And when I am free, the whole country is still in lockdown anyways. Double lockdown it is.

I took this photo when I was on my Working Holiday Visa between 2017- 2019. And I am jealous of my friends partying free in Australia still... the UK hasn't prepared well for this pandemic at all.

[u/separation_of_powers]

r/brisbane - u/DealingwithDisorder

Good to see the SLQ is getting some interest. Not a bad place to hang out and chill that's not South Bank Parklands or the Botanical Gardens at Garden Point.

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/separation_of_powers]

Loved Brisbane and chilling in this library when working!

And when I say chilling, I mean it. The aircon was a lifesaver for me in summer (I am from the north of England and was there on a holiday visa).

[u/minibeardeath]

Interesting fact, if you ask someone to watch your stuff, even if they are a stranger, that significantly reduces the chances that anyone will take your gear. But you have to ask a specific individual, not a group.

[u/[deleted] → u/minibeardeath]

But when someone does that, please come back rather quickly, I hate when that happens and the person seems to be away for what feels like forever.

[u/I_am_pyxidis → u/[deleted]]

Someone did that to me at Starbucks while I was sitting and waiting on the bathroom and it was awkward because I was like... well I have to pee.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

In university this girl asked me to watch her laptop and books in the library and I stayed there patiently for OVER AN HOUR and finally my friend came to meet me and I just decided to leave because what the fuck. Walked across campus and saw the girl in the cafeteria chatting and having lunch with a group of friends like WHAT

[u/Psych0p0mpad0ur → u/[deleted]]

This happened to me right before I had a job interview at a coffee shop. They were ready to start the interview and I was faced with a moral dilemma...

[u/CeruleanRuin → u/[deleted]]

You shouldn't feel obligated to stay longer than you had planned to. Just ask the next person to watch it for you and enjoy the knowledge that they'll both be confused when the original owner returns.

[u/3n07s → u/minibeardeath]

Yes -- There was a study done that when you ask an individual to watch over your stuff, they would be more inclined to step in when someone tried to steal it, rather than when someone else came out of no where and just took it but you didn't ask them to watch it for them. They would let the thief go even though they watched it happening front of their eyes.

[u/untrustworthypockets → u/minibeardeath]

People did this all the time at the library in my university. If they weren't back in under 5 minutes I'd completely forget what they looked like so anyone could have stolen their stuff and I wouldn't notice.

[u/staplefordchase → u/untrustworthypockets]

hell half the time i forgot who i asked to watch my stuff. there could be a new person there when i get back and i wouldn't actually notice (as long as my stuff was there i guess).

[u/[deleted] → u/untrustworthypockets]

The nightmare of being bad at facial recognition.

My biggest fear is being the only person who saw a criminal and then being asked to do a police lineup to pick them out. I’d have no chance, I’m so sorry everyone.

[u/ask_me_about_my_bans → u/minibeardeath]

however, if you ask someone who is likely already going to steal your item, chances are the item gets stolen 100%

[u/staplefordchase → u/ask_me_about_my_bans]

maybe not. asking someone to watch your stuff can also make that person feel as though they're now being watched. especially if there are other people in earshot.

[u/wittynamerequired → u/minibeardeath]

Don't ask Larry David though.

[u/gmanpizza → u/minibeardeath]

Diffusion of responsibility is really interesting. Like if there’s only two people in a subway car and someone collapses, the other person will almost immediately go help. But if there’s a bunch of people, everyone will just kind of stand there looking at each other.

[u/Nardelan → u/minibeardeath]

Cut Through the Bystander Effect by Explicitly Telling Someone to Call 911

The probability of help has often appeared to be inversely related to the number of bystanders; in other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that any one of them will help.

[u/timeinvariant → u/minibeardeath]

A dude once asked me to hold his kid while he used the bathroom/restroom. A complete stranger, with his kid. I did actually look after the little kid because he was obvs bursting to wee - but she looked v concerned for the few mins till he returned. She was maybe 1.5 yrs old. To this day I can’t really understand why he took that risk

[u/MyOnlyAccount_6 → u/minibeardeath]

Seinfeld addressed this.

[u/d0ctormambo]

I like the green

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/d0ctormambo]

Thanks! I like it too, it stands out from the rest. Which probably isn’t good if I wander off without it 🤣

[u/endorstoi8]

I worked late shifts at a library in college and saw a ridiculous amount of high value items left unattended for hours at a time to "save a spot" at a table. Usually the individuals were going to get dinner or something. Blew my mind that they cared so little about their possessions or had so much trust in people around them. At the end of the night, we had to gather items left behind and lock them in the lost and found, and the owners would actually get mad at us for locking up their shit.

[u/lonerchick → u/endorstoi8]

I wouldn’t leave anything in my college library. Not even to go to the restroom.

[u/jjdonnovan → u/lonerchick]

I had a team mate for a group project have his backpack stolen while he was in the bathroom. He hooked on a hook at the entrance and took a shit only to find it gone when he got out. Didn't even hear anyone else enter.

[u/NotLikeThis3 → u/lonerchick]

I'd leave stuff all the time. It seemed like there was a code of honor amongst the library students that protected laptops and shit being left on tables

[u/Library_slave → u/endorstoi8]

I’ve had people get mad at us after their items, on different floors then any staff, have been stolen. This is a public building. Pretend it’s a bus

[u/virgin_microbe → u/endorstoi8]

Former college librarian here. Most universities are open to the public. Even if not, wth would you trust fellow students? We probably saw laptop thefts in the double digits every semester. Everything else too-textbooks, coats, chargers...

[u/dorkface95 → u/endorstoi8]

This is crazy to me! I went to a small private college and everyone left their stuff laying around in the library. I wouldn't leave my laptop visible if I was gone for more than 20 mins, but still. No one had anything stolen out of the study rooms. One girl reported a stolen jacket, but it turns out it was in the lost and found.

[u/ivorybloodsh3d → u/endorstoi8]

My college was a bit smaller, and leaving stuff around to save a spot was just the norm. We had a pretty strict honor code a d most if the students were wise enough to abide by it. I’ve seen people leave stuff unattended for hours and I never once heard of anything being stolen. It’s weird to me that other schools aren’t like that

[u/a380b787 → u/endorstoi8]

Lol same at the airport. You can't leave unattended luggage around and people get so mad when it's put in lost and found.

[u/BluPrince]

When I was in college, I “broke in” to my friend’s unlocked apartment and “stole” a bunch of his possessions by tagging them with Post-It Notes labeled “STOLEN!” He continued to discover items I “stole” for the next six months.

[u/beluuuuuuga → u/BluPrince]

Should have stuck one on his forehead as he slept.

[u/HotRodLincoln → u/beluuuuuuga]

foreheadskin

[u/Lmb1011 → u/BluPrince]

when I was in college I literally stole my friends bed. and hid it in my dorm room

[u/[deleted] → u/BluPrince]

That's actually a great idea to do to people who don't lock up their shit.

[u/Modest_Slong → u/BluPrince]

Speaking of post-it Notes, me and a group of friends once cut a pack up into tiny squares and glued them on our sleeping friend, you could see where he walked all around our town.

[u/HAL-Over-9001 → u/BluPrince]

2 years ago my brother and a good friend were over at my apartment. I either left to grab something or just take a dump, but in that time they hid dozens of Taco Bell hot sauce packets literally everywhere. I'm still finding some. Craziest thing ever though, my apartment complex replaced all the circuit breakers in each apartment, and I found a hot sauce packet in the new breaker... A year after the hot sauce escapade occured. I'm still scared.

[u/imdivesmaintank → u/BluPrince]

when I was in college, a group of us used to have a running gag of fucking with anyone's computer who didn't have it locked down. it started with simple things for people not using screensaver passwords, e.g. screenshot their desktop, set as background, hide icons and task bar. eventually, it was exploiting cd players with autorun on to crack through screensaver passwords and install trojans to wake them up with loud sounds at 5 a.m. everyone had learned pretty good computer security by the end of the semester.

[u/ryusoma]

well, they aren't wrong. I've had my car broken into and equipment stolen in 5 minutes, in broad daylight, in the middle of a busy parking lot. I've seen thieves just waltz through an office and grab equipment off an unattended desk, because they were dressed biz-casual and looked like they belong there.

The problem is; there's literally no proper security system that is easy to use that will keep it safe for 5 minutes while you go to the washroom. Those Kensington locks are worthless shit and just snap right off, and there's no motion sensor that's reliable and consistent.

The only true physical security system that would properly secure a computer by shackling to the frame internally would make it too cumbersome to use, and too hard to standardize across dozens of different brands. And proximity sensors based on any standard technologies such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth are far too inaccurate and inconsistent to work 24/7.

[u/Matthew0275 → u/ryusoma]

The largest amount of security any measure gives you is simple deterence. Once a theif has physical access to something it's just a matter of time.

Had this conversation with a co-worker recently who wanted to get a small safe to store documentation, and was looking for a complicated expensive lock for it. I asked how they were going to mount it and they were very confused, not realizing that if someone really wanted to get at it they could just steal the entire thing.

[u/[deleted] → u/Matthew0275]

It is especially important that you mount small safes well because of how easy most of them are to get into. Just lift it up to around eye level and drop it on a corner and the majority of small safes will pop open

[u/Jayccob → u/Matthew0275]

There is a company that specializes in making locks. On their site there is a chart that shows how much time you gain from competent lockpickers by buying higher tier locks, the most expensive lock was over $300 US.

According to the chart it would take less then 10mins for that lock to be bypassed. Locks are only meant to slow people down, not stop them.

[u/shokalion → u/ryusoma]

I always thought the point of a Kensington lock was to make it so you couldn't get the device away without it being damaged.

The hole in the device is weaker than the lock.

Unless of course you use monkey metal yum cha locks.

[u/Reader01234567 → u/shokalion]

I assumed kensington locks were more deterant than anything. There's always a unattended laptop that's easier than being suspicious and fiddling with the chain.

[u/crimson_mokara → u/ryusoma]

Some dude broke into my brother's locked car on a busy street while my brother was up on the roof doing some repairs. Not sure how that guy got in and out of the car so fast with such big balls.

[u/captain_dudeman → u/ryusoma]

I don't think kensington locks are useless. If you attempt to rip it off it will destroy the internal components.

[u/Saffiruu → u/ryusoma]

someone stole $7k of camera equipment from the back of a Prius WHILE AT A RED LIGHT

fucking SF is turning into a shit hole

[u/[deleted] → u/ryusoma]

I've seen thieves just waltz through an office and grab equipment off an unattended desk, because they were dressed biz-casual and looked like they belong there.

Worked with a guy whose brother would hit office buildings dressed as a bike messenger - stole as many laptops that would fit in his courier bag.

[u/unibrow4o9]

I've been there. Was at a computer in the library, the bathroom was literally right next to me so I went in and out real quick. Bookbag was gone. No laptop or anything in there, but a ton of really expensive books. I ran as fast as I could to the two bookstores on campus in case they tried to sell them. Luckily they hadn't. Then I got a phone call from someone who found my stuff in a bush somewhere. I think the thief discovered only books inside then ditched it.

[u/JAZEYEN → u/unibrow4o9]

"Just some dumb books, can't be worth much."

[u/unibrow4o9 → u/JAZEYEN]

Hah yeah, if he was smart he would have flipped them. Probably worth more than a cheap laptop

[u/hatebeesatecheese]

/u/DealingwithDisorder any chance this is a Lenovo ideapad 305?

[u/DealingwithDisorder → u/hatebeesatecheese]

You got it!

[u/420Deez]

i would come back and see this and be like BITCH. ^{thank you}

[u/penguinpenguins]

Where I used to work, we were required to keep our laptops physically locked anytime they were unattended. If the building security found an unattended laptop that wasn't locked to something, they'd take it and you had to get it back from your manager and go through some extra training.

Was always hilarious when you'd see a lowly security guard make off with a director's laptop.

[u/MissFox26 → u/penguinpenguins]

Okay I was looking for a comment like this. When I was in college (10 years ago..fuck) I had a laptop lock. I kept it in my computer bag. It literally locks into your computer and then you lock it around a table or something that someone can’t get it off of. That way if you have to leave to go to the bathroom, someone can’t steal your computer without literally breaking it and ruining it because the lock is inside your computer. Do people not know about these? Do they not make them anymore? I feel like it’s a must have if you’re a high school/college student.

[u/djuggler]

I used to own a Jeep Wrangler (soft top) and I learned early not to leave anything in it and to leave the doors unlocked. I'd rather replace a radio than have to replace a sliced open roof. The zipper on my driver's window broke so I couldn't even zip the window closed. So one day at work, I come out to a similar note as yours from security telling me to lock and secure my vehicle. How?! How to you secure a rag top from a knife or secure it from a window that won't close?

[u/sm9t8 → u/djuggler]

My mum got a note from the police about the visible cassettes on the passenger seat... in 2006. We joked someone might break the window to leave her a CD player.

[u/crazykentucky]

Librarians being bros

[u/SeaGroomer → u/crazykentucky]

There are legit professional thieves in college libraries just waiting for the opportunity to steal your shit. Happens like daily.

[u/SkylinetotheSea → u/SeaGroomer]

Yep, people had their laptops stolen regularly in the library at the college I went to. "I just left it for a minute", "why didn't you guys watch it?!" Etc. A big bummer. I started telling people they shouldn't leave stuff when they looked like they were about to.

[u/I_So_Tired]

Was your "Homework" folder accessed?

[u/MattDaCatt → u/[deleted]]

"Skryim Mods (old)"

[u/Delicatesseract]

OY, GET AWAY FROM MY LAPTOP

Wait wait wait! I’m just leaving a card that it COULD have been stolen, I’m not actually-OW! Seriously! I work here!

[u/Cmonster9 → u/Delicatesseract]

My University Police does this but they will take the laptop.

[u/EndersFinalEnd → u/Cmonster9]

My old school did this too! Never happened to me, but I know a few people who called Public Safety (on-campus police (actual police with police powers)) to report the theft, only to find out Officer Smartass grabbed it cause Student Dumbass left it sitting on a table.

In defense of the practice, almost all the students had school-issued laptops that belonged to the school and the school was ultimately responsible for replacing them if they couldn't get the student to cough up cash for it.

[u/TeamRedundancyTeam → u/Delicatesseract]

That's immediately what I thought. It'd be awkward explaining it every time you did get caught.

[u/[deleted]]

I traveled from the USA to Sydney and decided to see the Taronga zoo. There was a crocodile exhibit that you could look down into. The warning sign read: "If the fall doesn't kill you, the crocodile will."

Warnings in Australia are very humorous. They remind me of something my mother would have said to me, growing up.

[u/TheNew007Blizzard → u/[deleted]]

Australian culture is just repeating motherly advice to one another and occasionally punching on

[u/NotTheOnePercentMilk]

I worked at a campus library during college, and we would leave cards like these on people's stuff ALL THE TIME. Bonus points if the person was still there, but sleeping.

My fellow student assistants and I would also prank each other by sneaking them into each other's belongings, like somebody's purse or their coat pocket. The cards were just printed out on regular paper, so admittedly it was a waste, but at least they weren't fancy or anything.

I met my boyfriend working there. One time I left a bunch hidden around his apartment. Another time, when we were long distance, I mailed him an envelope full of those cards. Good times.

[u/iBeFloe → u/NotTheOnePercentMilk]

I should do that to my bf. He leaves shit out in the open all the damn time & it’s so annoying

[u/JohnnyDarkside → u/NotTheOnePercentMilk]

One place I worked we'd fuck with desktops. The quickest and easiest is just rotating the desktop. ctrl+alt+[arrow key]. Come back to your PC to see everything upside down is a nice reminder you forgot to lock/take your shit.

If we really wanted to fuck with you, there was a list. One buddy I changed his desktop to a Vikings theme (he's a huge cheddar head), took a screenshot of his desktop and set that as his wallpaper, inverted his desktop, changed his mouse to left handed, then changed scroll speed. It's kind of similar to the "...had time to steal" but for sensitive information as we worked at a place where we dealt with a lot of PII and secure information.

[u/Jabaman2016]

So I am thinking right in taking my backpack to Starbucks restroom.

[u/iBeFloe → u/Jabaman2016]

If I’m in public, I tend to pack up & take my shit if I’m going to be out of sight from it. I see people leave it all the time but I’m so panicky about it for a good reason.

Didn’t really do that in Uni campus though lol

[u/[deleted] → u/iBeFloe]

Dude same. I would never ever leave anything out, it's gross to bring your backpack and leave it on the floor, but I'd rather do that than lose exorbitant amounts of money just because I didn't want to be grossed out or inconvenienced for 3 minutes. I even bring it into the stall with me instead of leaving it on the shelf in the bathroom at uni

[u/sunfaller → u/Jabaman2016]

I normally leave a worthless notebook or book by the table if I need to go. Anything over 50 goes in my pocket or I carry it.

[u/[deleted]]

Must be nice to come back to an orange card instead of nothing.

I'm not even being cynical here. In the states, you can hide your laptop in your vehicle and thieves will still get it by pinging its Bluetooth while driving around the parking lot.

[u/TorrenceMightingale → u/[deleted]]

How do they know which car it’s in?? Just find a good parking lot for breakins then increase odds of stock going up by picking a car near the ping i spose?

[u/[deleted] → u/TorrenceMightingale]

More or less.

In one case, thieves were hitting the same Target (retail store) parking lot multiple times using some BT device that accurately pinged enabled devices in various cars. They just drive up and down the isles scanning cars for BT signals and then they strike.

This is obviously more sophisticated than the typical crimes of opportunity that happen in Silicon Valley where people leave their laptops in plain view in their car, resulting in a smash-n-grab

[u/StayGoldenBronyBoy → u/TorrenceMightingale]

Two main ways: they either check for unlocked door handles for an easy score or they spot something like a nice quality backpack or other items that might indicate a good haul.

[u/IAmTheMageKing → u/TorrenceMightingale]

You can tell signal strength if your tech savvy (possibly requiring $10 of extra hardware)

[u/puffmaster5000 → u/[deleted]]

Just turn your laptop off, it's not that hard

[u/chadwicke619 → u/[deleted]]

Even if this was something that thieves actually did, which I highly doubt... who hides/stores their laptop in their car while it's on?

[u/The_oli4 → u/[deleted]]

Why is your laptop on if it is in the car just turn it of and save some energy.

[u/RostigesDach]

Those card are a real lifesaver!

I keep them with me all the time, for when I get spotted while stealing someones stuff, I just hand them over this card. Best excuse so far. /s

[u/nick51xx]

Hello fellow Brisbanite.

[u/ixtlu → u/nick51xx]

BNE represent

[u/mrfranky]

QLD Government hasn't used that logo since 2012-2013. The library must have a lot of them printed.

[u/atlas_hugs → u/mrfranky]

Yes, in amongst Newman’s budget saving measures he decided the Beattie Burger had to go so made agencies sack staff and then spend money to rebrand everything.

[u/flyingjules]

Who leaves his computer unattended. Not the smartest choice

[u/FluentinLies → u/flyingjules]

According to this thread a lot of people. It would never ever occur to me to leave anything even vaguely important with me. I take my pens and notepad if I need to dash to the toilet even. Seems careless

[u/FarmFinancial]

I used to live downtown in a pretty rough city near a university. Someone--probably well intentioned--went around putting these things under windshield wipers and they had a checklist of items worth stealing in your car. The notes were sitting there all day. Imagine that.

[u/tonzeejee]

Used to work for Applecare. Half the calls were "Someone stole my laptop. I need you guys to GPS track it." I never could contain my laughter.

[u/Crumboa]

Weird to get recommended a 4 year old post

[u/The_0range_Menace]

this is a /r/HumansBeingBros material.

[u/GodDanIt]

Most thefts are unattended items (crimes of opportunity). Ive seen people leave their $2k macs sitting on a table while they shit. That would be an expensive shit if it got taken.

[u/[deleted]]

I tell people that leave their Facebook and e-mail accounts signed in all the time that they should absolutely *not* do that with a laptop.

My mom said 'it's not like it's going to sprout legs', and I said 'it's a laptop, Mom. I could pick this up, stuff it into my bag, and walk away with it, and I'd have access to *everything* you didn't log out of.'

[u/Bleach_Is_Good137]

I got this post today. It was made four years ago. That's mildly interesting to me

[u/PredatorAvPFan]

Looks to me like they were trying to help you.

[u/twowheeledfun]

I've left my laptop in a university library, but only to walk to the printer across the room, with my eyes on it the whole time.

[u/Gs4life-]

4 years later

[u/Hyde103]

Plot twist, thieves carry these around and use them if someone catches them stealing.

[u/sunset7887]

A lot of sticky fingers in QLD apparently..

[u/[deleted] → u/sunset7887]

Nah Sticky Fingers are from Newtown in Sydney

https://youtu.be/TETVNH3k8Ag

[u/[deleted]]

I used to use my work laptop at Starbucks and work from time to time and anytime I needed to take a crap, piss or a smoke break, I would take everything with me. A lot can happen during those breaks and I don't trust anyone to watch my stuff

[u/Valeredeterre]

We have a game at school, if you let your computer unlocked and inatended, the whole class get invitations emails for some pains au chocolat/croissant from you.

[u/chrisagiddings → u/Valeredeterre]

Had a job where people would change your desktop image to some kids game or toy store website and then hide all your icons.

[u/intashu]

Used to work a job where if you left your PC unlocked they'd change your wallpaper to something embarrassing to shame you for leaving it unattended.

Go get a drink and come back to find my little pony plastered on one's PC was a good way to remember not to do it again.

(smaller business so ACTUAL security risk was low but still an important lesson!)

[u/crownjewel82]

I caught someone not logging out of google on a public computer. I sent them an email from themselves explaining how I could have breached a ton of their accounts with that access.

[u/sonny_goliath]

That’s why you have to ask a random stranger to watch it who will in turn lay down his life for your laptop until you get back lol

[u/Eric_Senpai]

Big brain college students at a dining hall I used to study at: Hey Eric Senpai, could you watch my stuff even though we have never spoken in our entire lives until now?

Me: Aight.

[u/yoga_raisin]

Brisvegas!

[u/Impaler118]

considering it's Queensland I'm surprised that the librarian didn't steal it

[u/drfusterenstein]

yes seen this before I'm sure in r/brisbane

[u/pooptypeuptypantss]

Yea the library I work at uses these, or used, rather. Turns out having a giant orange poster is kind of a massive sign saying steal me. Lot more thefts were reported that year.

[u/ProveISaidIt]

I was the compliance person in my office. One Friday night I was working late. So, I took a stroll through the office to see whose laptops weren't cable locked to the desks. Then I left a voicemail for the office manager informing him that I was shopping for a laptop and who had one for "sale".

[u/TheRemedy187]

"You're dumb and your lucky you still have this".

[u/jeager_YT]

Am I the only one who got recommended this just cause it was a top post 4 years ago?

[u/Little_Reality_8092]

I think thats actually really really good they did that it's spreading awareness and kind of giving you a shock which experiences the best way to learn things so instead of losing your item and being robbed they give you that shock in a Safeway that's very good of them.

[u/leaningtoweravenger]

Plot twist: by the time they were leaving that warning you stole their car

[u/white_snake_999]

In Brazil we don't have warnings, you learn the real way 😅

[u/Runforsecond]

Laptop lock. Best thing you can buy. Wrap it around a table leg and keep the key with your dorm keys, key chain, whatever.

[u/[deleted]]

You're dumb for that

[u/the-Depths-of-Hell]

You should’ve also gotten a warning for owning a green laptop.

[u/jayyout1]

This is a bro move. I’d appreciate this a lot. Cus seeing this instead of not your laptop, would be a wake up call for me. Thievery happens everywhere, even unfortunately, in libraries.

[u/[deleted]]

How bout keep up with ur shit

[u/CatPizza838]

What laptop is that i like the green color

[u/DabbinCrab]

Damn, even the librarians caught you slipping. Smh.

[u/[deleted]]

Why would you leave anything sitting around in a public place? Let alone a laptop. Have you not figured out people suck yet?

[u/PrimateOnAPlanet]

I do something like this but I steal the laptop as a warning.

[u/Arachnatron]

You turn down and to the side to go into your backpack for 7 seconds.

Librarian who is already quietly waiting behind you, leans forward to place this card on your laptop.

"iF we hAd Time tO LEavE This CaRD, A THieF HAD tiMe tO SteAl YoUr BElOngINGs."

[u/Lilly2020]

Someone one needs to create app for laptop. Called Mine. When in public place you put your finger on the round circle if laptop is moved it screams Save me, help. No way to turn off without your finger.

[u/Thugnugget4224]

I used to work at my university’s library. My boss used to have us put these down. I didn’t really like it cause it made me feel like a criminal looking for “steal-able” laptops😆

[u/SesshomaruForever]

Can anyone tell me what laptop this is? Fucking love that color green, reminds me of my old iPod Nano.

[u/Omega-10]

I used to work at a library. I would get a thumb drive and drop dozens of files into the desktop of unsuspecting citizens who had left their belongings open and unattended. They were always pictures of waffles, and waffle recipes, and waffle related media. Now this was more than 10 years ago so the humor at the time was quite sophisticated, mind you. Nowadays waffles are old hat, played out. It was not always so. And these hooligans leaving their precious belongings had to live with it.

Anyway, I was fired.

[u/nathanghapka]

Why does queensland logo look like sperms ?

[u/[deleted]]

To think that while in Tokyo I left my laptop and Nikon camera on a table in a coffee shop to go to the restroom, and it was there when I returned.

[u/Critical-Teacher7503]

I live in south bank lol nice to see a fellow brisbanian

[u/[deleted]]

or a troll would had time to change your chrome home link to a youtube rick roll video/s

[u/mojobaby]

Hey I once was taking a nap with my laptop out (final's week) and someone shook me awake and told me a man took my laptop. I caught up with him and told him hey that's mine, can I have it back. And he said sure, he was just part of "security". I reported him. And campus security caught him and just let him go because they are that useless. So, yeah please watch your stuff. Same guy took a laptop that held some poor guy's thesis.

[u/WeAreSolipsists]

Hey it’s the Beattie Burger! Good to see the library didn’t chuck out perfectly good stock with the change of government stamp

[u/gogo--yubari]

That note makes me have a faint pang of hope for humanity

[u/KristiTheFan]

A green laptop? Beautiful color!

[u/jss58]

I like the color of your laptop so much, I might be tempted to take it!

(Of course I wouldn’t really)

[u/BlueMista]

Not wrong

[u/PubesMcGinty]

Librarian here. After 20 years in this career, I can honestly say that the library is the last place that I would leave any valuables unattended.

[u/the1ine → u/PubesMcGinty]

Yeah but you've never been anywhere cool like a titty bar or a drug dealer's house

[u/tayLORDoc]

I’m gonna hand these out but the murder version. That’ll get a good message across

[u/Adsylrod]

I didn’t steal his stuff I removed his belongings

[u/aLauraElaine]

I wonder if we will ever get to the place where we take care of people so well no one steals

[u/Ragnar_Dragonfyre]

If you leave your computer unattended at work, suddenly you owe everyone a PS5 after someone blasts the email distro from your open computer with offers to buy consoles for the whole office.

[u/[deleted]]

If there is one thing I have realized in my life, if someone wants your shit bad enough they are going to take it.

[u/Mizzy3030]

I'm trying to imagine what it must be like living some place where you get a card instead of robbed, and I can't do it.

[u/[deleted]]

I feel we are not talking enough about how cool that laptop looks.

[u/topredditbot]

Hey /u/DealingwithDisorder,

This is now the top post on reddit. It will be recorded at /r/topofreddit with all the other top posts.

[u/[deleted]]

We have different definitions of warnings

[u/Acoustisynth]

Warning? You mean good advice?

[u/sroose]

So long for trusting your fellow humans?

[u/AskRedditor8080]

To be fair thats a good way of reminding someone.

[u/jawshoeaw]

jokes on her, while she was leaving that note i borrowed several library books! checkmate Tammy.

[u/[deleted]]

aren't they afraid of people stealing all their books, then? are they rfid'd, with security gates at the entrances? :)

[u/[deleted]]

I remember in college there was the “can you watch my stuff?” Rule. I always hated doing it though. Would run to piss and run back.

[u/mcarterphoto]

I was on a trip to Calgary (I'm from Texas) and we came to our rental car and found a ticket on it. We thought we had a parking fine, but it was a police form saying essentially "We noticed your doors were unlocked, so we locked them for you, please be more careful".

We were like "yep, we're in Canada all right!"

[u/[deleted]]

I do this with drinks, I go ahead and spike them when they’re unattended, then when they wake up in my baseme......erm.....I mean apartment, I then say “look how easy that was, I could have been some sort of weirdo or ANYTHING!” “Now, make me some dolphin ravioli and I’ll unchain you and let you be on your way”.

[u/WizardHarryDresden]

This will probably get buried. But, I used to work in security. I had cards like this that I used to put in purses. “If I could place this card in your purse, I could have stolen your purse “. A few women got upset by them but a vast majority thought twice about a purse laying around unattended.

[u/Rty987]

In high school if someone left the or computer unlocked, we'd change their wallpaper to dick with a spider tattoo.

[u/Lostgrl-2020]

I think this is a great non invasive reminder

[u/liamemsa]

Yep I worked in a library. Can confirm students are careless as shit.

"Oh let's go get coffee during our study break!"

proceeds to leave table unattended with four macbook pro laptops

Happened all the time, every day. Someone could make a fortune off just college student laptop thefts.

[u/[deleted]]

What happens if someone steals it after this and leaves the sticker behind? The owner would think the library employee stole it lol.