

My laptop was stolen, I have an IP, now what? - stealthy_anon

My laptop was stolen and I've been monitoring via remote desktop. They still have not logged any personal information, but I can see them browsing the internet. My remote desktop software gives me their IP address. Is that enough for the police to pin point their location? I tried www.infosniper.net but I only get a zip code, not really a precise location. Any other ideas or should I just wait until they log in to email or Facebook? Time is of the essence. At some point they'll figure out what those pesky "remote desktop activity" notifications mean.<p>Laptop doesn't have a web cam. :(
======
muzzamike
Sorry about your laptop man. This guy had a simular problem and was able to
resolve it when the robber uploaded some pics. Might be a good read on how he
worked with the police.

[http://blog.makezine.com/2012/08/31/how-tracking-down-my-
sto...](http://blog.makezine.com/2012/08/31/how-tracking-down-my-stolen-
computer-triggered-a-drug-bust/)

------
sown
I think you file a police report and tell them that you have the IP address.
They can subpoena necessary information.

------
adrianwaj
Find a private investigator that specializes in this. When you find out an
exact location, have the private investigator call the police in the area. Try
to get pics of the laptop, and pics (ideally identity) of the person if you
can in the meantime. Look for patterns in IP addresses to anticipate next
moves.

------
JacobH
There are many stories of this. The more you know the easier it would be. The
IP should be enough to locate where the person uses the pc. But check how
often the same IP is used for a pattern. You also don't want to send the
police, and the person is stealing wifi from a neighbor.

------
blacklooksgreat
Police will likely be clueless.

You might file a civil suit against John Doe for fraud.

Then you might subpoena the ISP to tell you who is using the IP.

Then maybe go the police with the evidence from your civil case.

------
acd
Google the ip, thats how I tracked down a hacker that hacked into my previous
work computers. But I think the Google maps location tip by mouseroot is very
good.

------
jameswyse
Maybe you can sneakily install Prey to make things easier?
<http://preyproject.com/>

------
mouseroot
Try and have the stolen computer pull up google maps and pinpoint where it is
via gps. or similair

~~~
Narkov
Not many computers have GPS capabilities.

~~~
runjake
No, but they do have Wi-Fi and most people's wi-fi access point-based
geolocation databases are pretty good. I'd be surprised if it didn't present a
reasonably accurate location (assuming the victim could get that info). It's
very likely the thief lives in a population-dense area and is near at least
one access point.

------
bdunbar
Do you want it back? If you don't then burn it to the ground: shell in, use dd
to wipe the disk.

~~~
adrianwaj
I'd put that on a delay if you can so that it gives some time to recover it.

~~~
bdunbar
If you recover the laptop re-install the software.

I will allow that if you _think_ you can recover it, then tracking your
opponent is the best bet.

Maybe put DD on a deadman switch: if you don't check in every X hours _poof_.
Now if they discover you can login ... they get a dead piece of hardware for
their efforts.

~~~
adrianwaj
Don't know if this interests you, but many years ago I was at a gym, I put the
laptop in a locker and later came back and it was gone. Someone must have seen
me key in the temp PIN.

I reported what had happened and with a staff member, and so we then went
through every locker (I didn't know how it'd help, seemed futile) but as it
happened, someone had moved the laptop to another locker. To this day I regret
not leaving some note in it, like "Yoohoo, you're now on film" and bustin his
ass.

