Technology aids in theft recovery for Fort Worth ISD

by PegNews wire

Wow, how very "James Bond" of Fort Worth ISD to install tracking devices on laptops.

A computer stolen from a Fort Worth ISD school has been recovered by Fort Worth police thanks to tracking technology installed on that device.

The laptop computer, valued at $1,500.00, was taken from a classroom at Polytechnic High School in late October while the teacher was at a school meeting. The computer was being used for curriculum development and did not contain any personal information about students.

The Fort Worth ISD recently purchased and installed Lo/Jack tracking technology for both laptops and desk computers. That technology led police to a Fort Worth residence just before New Year’s and the stolen computer was successfully recovered. The District has been advised that the investigation is continuing and criminal charges are being considered.

“We have launched an aggressive technology protection plan,” said Kyle Davie, the FWISD’s Chief Technology Officer. “We are charged with insuring that our technology is available and ready to serve our students and teachers. This is notice that if you steal our computers, we will find them and prosecute you.”

The FWISD computer recovery program is included in the purchase of all news systems and costs approximately $50 per device. In the event a computer is not recovered the District receives $1,000 from the tracking company. Under a second tracking agreement there is no cost to the District for monitoring if the equipment is not recovered.

Source: Fort Worth ISD

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Anonymous

Excellent. The key measure of success is if the perpetrator is also put behind bars and fined 10X the value of the stolen equipment - and using any personal assets for confiscation.

How's that for law enforcement? Vote for me!

snowboard9 Anonymous

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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Snowboard - you've got my if a quadcore results in a life sentence.

Jason Rice Verified

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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Isn't LoJack easily defeated by formatting the laptop and reinstalling the operating system? I mean, it's not a hardware thing, right?

Then again someone who lifts a laptop from a teacher's desk is probably not very likely to know all of that.

Pavel Lishin Verified

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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Bingo Pavel. Like all times past, locks only keep honest people honest.

The thing I DON"T like about lojack type "enforcement" is that unless you slap a HUGE "This is LoJacked" sticker on it it doesn't act as a deterrent - and yet slapping it on there tells any junior crook to google "cracking LoJack".

That kinda gets to snowboard's standard banner of personal rights. It does kind of set up an almost guaranteed entrapment/baiting defense.

Jason Rice Verified

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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It would act as a deterrent if nearly everyone had it; then the would-be thieves would be forced to consider the risk.

But again, if everyone had it, wipe-and-reinstall would become standard practice for thieves, so it would essentially be self-defeating.

The best defense is having gross pornography as your screensaver. The only problem might be wiping criminal vomit from your keyboard.

Pavel Lishin Verified

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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Just realized that my defense wouldn't work very well in a school. Or office.

Pavel Lishin Verified

10 months, 2 weeks ago
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I disagree, it would work VERY well for the short period of time you're enrolled or employed. =p (there you go again trying to convince us you're some kind of useful in society)

Wonder if LoJack has upped their game re: coverage areas. I recall the hardware units (for cars, contractor equipment, etc) being pretty much useless in west TX...which didn't help matters if the thief was darting for Mexico.