U.S. College Ranks Third as Most Common Place for Laptop Theft

Absolute Software Corporation, provider of endpoint security and management solutions, urges students to protect their laptops as they head back to school.

According to reports filed to Absolute’s Theft Recovery Team, college campuses have moved from fifth to third position as the most common locations for laptop theft. In its most recent report, the U.S. Department of Education stated that more than 24,000 cases of burglary were reported on college campuses in 2009, with more than 12,000 occurring in residence halls alone.

"Laptops are one of the most essential yet expensive tools that students need to complete college. With the majority of students now carrying laptops, campuses are prime locations for theft," said Mark Grace, Vice President of Consumer Business, Absolute Software. "We have seen countless cases where students have lost midterm assignments or even an entire semester’s worth of work after their laptops were stolen. For any student going back to school, the best line of defense is not only to back up their work, but also theft recovery software like LoJack for Laptops and a little bit of common sense."

Recently named Editors’ Choice by PC Magazine, LoJack for Laptops is a theft recovery software for college students. Once installed on a computer, its patented persistence technology allows owners to remotely locate and lock the stolen device, as well as delete important files to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands. In addition, LoJack for Laptops  is backed by a team of ex-law enforcement professionals. The Absolute Theft Recovery Team eliminates the need for laptop theft victims to take measures into their own hands, as they maintain relationships with more than 6,000 police departments around the world to return laptops safely to their rightful owners.

With LoJack for Laptops, Absolute has helped students across the country recover stolen computers and, in some cases, lead police to solving larger crimes involving dangerous criminals, making college communities safer. Recently, a laptop and other high-value items were stolen during a forced entry burglary in Columbus, Ohio, home to Ohio State University. The Absolute Theft Recovery Team used forensic technology to locate the laptop and the suspect, whom they identified to police. As a result, police recovered the laptop and other property belonging to the victim and arrested the suspect, who had a long and violent criminal history.

In another local case Absolute’s Theft Recovery Team sprang into action when a laptop was reported stolen and promptly provided information to the investigating officers. Using LoJack for Laptops’ features, police found the victim’s laptop in a suspected crime den, along with guns, illegal drugs and more stolen property. Not only was the victim able to get back his laptop, he was also able to do so safely by allowing the experts to handle the criminal pursuit on his behalf.

With LoJack for Laptops, students have the peace of mind to know that laptops containing schoolwork, music, photos, and other important files are protected in case of theft. Absolute is offering a buy-one, get-one free discount (Limited time offer. Promotion expires on August 31, 2011) on standard and premium editions of LoJack for Laptops.

Premium edition costs $60 for two years and $100 for four years.

The Company’s software agent is embedded in the firmware of computers by firms including Acer, ASUS, Dell, Fujitsu, General Dynamics Itronix, HP, Lenovo, Motion, Panasonic and Toshiba, and the company has reselling partnerships with these OEMs and others, including Apple.