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Many of the comments here mention a certain level of trust in the [hacker] community...sorry but not every single developer is a saint who would never consider stealing someone's laptop. The larger the group the more people you'll have willing to steal if the opportunity arises.
First thing to install on any devise : Prey. http://preyproject.com It's great to track your hardware, it can event take screenshot of the screen and pictures with the camera.
any professional cannot allow/afford/stomach the idea of even having their device boot if stolen. something like this written as a hardware/bios/whatever malware is more interesting
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Most hackakthons are at the pro level, so it's industry peers and security for this is never a concern. When you have 1000 students in a hackathon, then yeah it's a good idea to point out the difference.
Having something rammed down your neck like you're a 10 year old never really helps. Being a victim helps people remember the basic things. Have a couple of people walking around placing stickers on laptops that are unattended. When the owner returns they'll see a sticker saying something along the lines of "your laptop has been stolen", and they'll quickly feel foolish for dropping their guard.
A school or community hackathon is a much more ambiguous situation. Get a police report, and see if you have event insurance or something to cover it.
I never leave stuff unattended in public, but things like hackerspaces, YC's office, etc. feel different. I do screenlock always, but I can't say I'd never leave a machine unattended in a semi-public environment.
This motivates anyone who has suspicions or inside information to come forward. If it's a theft by a student, it's quite possible that someone besides the thief knows what happened, but doesn't want to appear 'uncool' by expressing their disgust. A monetary reward may overcome this, and potentially makes them into a hero rather than a coward.
I would not offer any sort of amnesty or no-questions-asked policy. If you end up finding the thief, prosecute them. If someone claims to have 'found' the laptop in the the bushes, seems very interested in the reward, and you are suspicious, turn the matter over to the police and let them decide if the story holds up.
Specifically, I don't think you should offer warnings to others to take greater steps to protect their property. This has the appearance of blaming the victim, and potentially helps the thief (and potential friends) justify their actions to themselves as something the victim deserved for their negligence. Making it known the crime occurred is sufficient warning. It's in each individual's interest to protect their personal property, but not in the group's interest to create a 'fend for yourself' attitude.
I've never been to a PennApps Hackathon, but from what you describe (1000+ people), I'd imagine that it's pretty much impossible for event organizers to prevent this. I think the key here is the 'left unattended' part of the scenario. The solution would be to tell the teams not to leave the equipment unattended. It's unfortunate, but a reality of life (even at a Hackathon with a great community); There are bad people…
> The solution would be to tell the teams not to leave the equipment unattended Please no. Don't contribute to this cover-your-ass culture of information clutter by disclaiming the obvious with braindead notices that nobody is expected to read. It's common sense to maintain responsibility for your stuff to the extent you'd like to avoid having it mucked with through malice or ignorance.
I'd suggest a offering a significant reward for information leading to the return of the laptop. This signifies that it's a matter that you take seriously, without claiming responsibility for protecting others' property. Choose an amount that is comparable to the street value of the laptop. Take up a collection to pay it if ends up being paid. This motivates anyone who has suspicions or inside information to come for…
"Someone left a laptop unattended, and it was stolen." Never been to one of these so could you elaborate as to how a laptop was left (and for how long) so that it was stolen? (I'm curious about the details). As an example is this like being at an airport terminal with your laptop, turning around for a second, and turning back to see your laptop missing? Or more like leaving the laptop and going to the bathroom? Or le…
On hackathons it's quite common. You leave a laptop on your workplace, go for lunch, or for a walk, or whatever. Usually there are only other hackers there, few bystanders, so the environment is quite secure. That's why it's so sad when situations like those happen - it undermines the trust within the community. On Airport, or at the coffee place I wouldn't expect my laptop to be there if I left for an hour. On a hac…
Cameras...