Locks and Security News: your weekly locks and security industry newsletter
17th April 2024 Issue no. 701

Your industry news - first

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Thief caught after stolen laptop keeps taking his picture

Police in Oakland, California, USA, have arrested a suspected laptop thief whose slack-jawed face became an Internet sensation after software that the owner had installed kept taking photos of the suspect, which the victim posted on his blog.

Muthanna Aldebashi of Alameda was arrested on suspicion of possessing stolen goods. The 27-year-old taxi driver is being held in Alameda County jail.

A web campaign to catch the alleged thief was launched by laptop owner Joshua Kaufman, who filed a police report in late March stating that someone had broken into his North Oakland apartment and stolen his Apple MacBook computer.

Kaufman said he had installed software called Hidden that followed the computer's movements through a tracking device, and took pictures of the suspect's face while the man used the laptop.

15th June 2011