Most laptops are stolen from the office, according to a survey by Kensington Technology Group, which makes computer accessories. Numerous companies sell chains to keep the laptop close and locks to prevent anyone other than the user from accessing the hard drive. But those can be cumbersome. Some big companies lose three or four laptops a month, mainly because employees who don't own the machines don't take care to protect them, Flannelly says. The typical laptop theft at an airport or hotel happens because the victims give thieves an opportunity, experts say.
People display their laptops, either because they are doing work or just as status symbols.
Hotels are beginning to outpace airports as the top spot for laptop thefts, says Kevin Coffey, a travel security consultant and veteran Los Angeles Police Department detective. Travelers are more wary at airports but feel safe in hotels. Scott Friedman, a motivational humorist from Denver, learned the dangers of hotels while attending a convention in San Francisco. He took the usual precautions at the airport but thought nothing of leaving his laptop on a chair in a meeting room when he went to register. He came back a few minutes later, and somebody had taken the computer out of its bag.