If you're reading this on a smartphone or tablet, take a moment right now to survey your surroundings, especially if you're out in public. That device could make you a prime target, but there are ways to protect yourself even if it gets stolen.
Mobile device theft has been in the news lately. Police recently arrested a former San Jose State football star on charges of burglarizing the home of Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs. Kariem McFarlin was easy to find because he allegedly got online with the devices, creating a digital trail that led police right to him. These days our ubiquitous smartphones and tablets can make us easier targets for theft.
But if someone stole your device, what would you do first? Even if this has happened to you, you might not have responded to it in the best way for law enforcement to quickly find what was taken. Just because the device can be tracked easily does not mean thieves are shying away from stealing them.
"I don't think they care, necessarily," says Palo Alto Police Lt. Zach Perron. "There's such a high number of these thefts that are occuring everywhere that, quite frankly, it can be a little bit overwhelming for law enforcement to respond to."
Perron has four simple recommendations: