An apparent spike in laptop computer thefts has Denver police putting out a stern warning: You may lose a lot more than your hard drive.
“People put their whole lives on their computers now,” said police spokesman Sonny Jackson. “We want them to be aware that these are hot-ticket items for thieves right now, and they may not just lose an item — an expensive one in their computer — but there’s a gold mine on there for identity thieves.”
Statistics for the city’s six police districts were not available Thursday afternoon, but Jackson said the 39 downtown thefts since January was a noticeable increase. “And it’s not just downtown; it’s all across the city,” he said.
The locations and times of day have been random, and police think the thefts are crimes of opportunity in which laptops have been left unguarded. Anyone who spots strangers wandering around offices and cubicles should notify building security or call Denver police at 720-913-2000.
