My Computer Stolen By Burglars

[meadish_sweetball]

The day before yesterday burglars broke into our house.

My laptop with 6 years of work in it, as well as all digital photos I had taken during this time - 3 years worth of work email correspondence... etc etc - was stolen.

We went out around 1 PM and came back just after dark. Our neighbour came to greet us before we had even opened the gate, saying both theirs and our house has been burgled in the afternoon.

It all felt very surreal. Downstairs everything looked normal at first glance, front door locked as usual.. but they had broken in through the back door and went straight upstairs.

Upstairs the bastards had turned everything inside out, and made away with jewelry and cash at a value of approx. 18.000 baht, as well as two mobile phones and chargers (which is irritating but not that big a deal in the long run).

What was more important, they stole my work computer, an ASUS L5 series (L5800C) laptop, the hard drive of which contained work dating back 6 years, this work is of little value to anybody else, but is completely irreplaceable for me.

I curse myself for not having made regular backups.

So the police came over, secured fingerprints and footprints (the earth over at the neighbours lawn was wet so they got a good footprint whatever that is worth) and told us that it is not too likely we will get our stuff back, but that they will do their best.

The neighbour, who lost 300 baht weights of gold among other things, has offered the police a 50.000 baht reward if they can get the stuff back.

-----

Please help me keep an eye out for this machine.

Here are the specs for the ASUS laptop (taking note that it could of course be stripped if it is resold on the market):

ASUS L5800C

Colour: Black with silver details. Please see picture below.

Keyboard type: Swedish (recognizable by the letters Å Ä and Ö next to Enter)

- Processor: Pentium 4, 2.9 Ghz 533 Mhz

- RAM: 512 MB

- Hard disk: 60 GB, partitioned into C: and D:

- Disc drive: DVD/CD-RW Combo (right hand side). The burning function did not work at the time it was stolen.

- Floppy Disk drive (left hand side)

- Multicard slots: 2 on right hand side.

- Operating system: Swedish language Windows XP Professional SP2 (legit copy)

- 15" TFT LCD screen

- Connectivity: IR receptor on front. Optical out. Wireless LAN. VGA out. S-Video out. 4 USB ports at the back, 1 USB port on the left front.

Other info:

- The adapter had a Swedish standard two pronged plug.

- The computer is quite large and heavy for a laptop (compared to the standard these days).

Pictures for reference (these are not of my actual computer but of the same model):

If you should see this computer somewhere, I'd be eternally grateful if you let me know by sending me a PM.

The most distinguishing feature is the Swedish keyboard, which is different from English and Thai layouts, with the letters ÅÄÖ to the left of the Enter button.

[Rasseru]

Very best of luck to you.

[chanchao]

I'm so sorry to hear that Meadish. I will of course keep an eye out for it. It's also a reminder for everyone I guess to get more serious about protecting against burglars. . . I never much worried about it, and my house is exceptionally easy to get in, the locks really don't account for much. And the compound security is even more of a joke.

Is your house inside a compound, city or regular village?

[Maejo Man]

Really sorry to hear about your burglary Meadish, I know the feeling all too well after last year's fiasco. There was quite a thread on it, with members contributing ideas about security.

One thing it made me do immediately was buy the largest safe I could find. Every time I go out now, my hard drives go in the safe, along with anything else that is of major value. It's a right royal pain in the arse every time you go down the road, but it at least gives you peace of mind. TV's and the like are replacable, and covered by unsurance......hard drives are not! I will certainlt keep my eyes open on my usual rounds of the computer shops.

I withdrew 100,000 baht and took it to the police station with me, dropped it on the table, and said that's for anyone that catches the lousy pricks that stole all my stuff. Needless to say I still have the cash! Good luck in your search...MM

[meadish_sweetball]

Thank you - all of you.

I am not getting my hopes up too much, but I guess there is always a slim chance somebody finds it somewhere.

Is your house inside a compound, city or regular village?

Without getting too specific, there is no security (i.e. not in a compound).

One thing it made me do immediately was buy the largest safe I could find.

I have planned to get one as well. Would really appreciate details of what type of safe you ended up getting. (PM if you dont want to make the info public.)

I read your thread back then and felt really sorry for you. Naturally, I never fully realized it could happen to anyone, including me, until it actually did. I hope those of you who are reading this will start to think about security as well. You will hate yourself for not having done anything. Believe me.

TV's and the like are replacable, and covered by unsurance

Yes, for sure. We had a fair bit of other reasonably valuable stuff which they did not take (presumably too heavy and difficult to carry, and also suspect they did not understand what some things were) which I would not have cared much about losing...

[Grover]

sorry to hear that. its absolutely terrible to lose that data, I know the feeling too.

[ashacat]

Hi Meadish,

Exactly the same happened to me a few months back, Laptop, phones, camera, i-pods and money, lost the lot. Also like you I lost all my songs, pics and business on the laptop. So I really comiserate with you.

It is a really horrible thing to happen and took me a while to get over it, ie. replace the stuff.

If you live in Bangkok it may be worth going to Pantip, esp. the top floor, they have a laptop shop up there which sells 2nd hand, you might be lucky...

Chock dee na

[tigerbeer]

hi meadish. very sorry to- hear about that. we had the same thing happened to us in the shop. now we keep a guard on duty every night.

needless to say, nothing can replace the amount of work put into, your pictures and data that is lost. lets just remind ourselves to back up what is important to us. i carry with me an external HDD of which i take with me wherever i go to. so the computers dont matter that much.

[Phil Conners]

Thanks for reminding me to take my backups

[cdnvic]

That Swedish keyboard is at least a very distinguishing feature.Hopefully they'll be dumb enough to sell it locally and the boys in brown may get wind of it.

Other than that, sorry to hear it.

[Lucifer]

Another way would be(and I wouldn't recommend it) to advertise a 'no questions asked' reward for the return of the laptop. If the laptop still has all the data, then a reward of, say, 50k.

Illigal in the west, as it might encourage more burgleries.

This weekend, everyone should get themselves an external harddrive and start backing up your data,at least once a week. Then hide it away from your PC.

Good luck, I hope you find the laptop, and the other bits.

[Thai-Spy]

You may wish to visit all the local pawnshops and let them know you are offering a reward.

[SoloFlyer]

Heard of several burglaries this week. Broad daylight.

[OneeyedJohn]

My sympathies Meadish, I know that a burglary leaves a very sick feeling in the gut.

Let's hope ur lucky and get it back.

[Goshawk]

you got off lightly...

i really feel for your neighbour though.. 300 baht in weight ?

wow !! nearly 3 million bahts worth...

[meadish_sweetball]

Heard of several burglaries this week. Broad daylight.

You are talking about Chiang Mai too, right?

When the police came over to investigate, we could hear discussions over the police radio of other burglaries committed earlier that day. He also said there has been quite a lot lately.

[chanchao]

> This weekend, everyone should get themselves an external harddrive and start backing up your

> data,at least once a week. Then hide it away from your PC

Hear hear.

About the safe, just being 'big' is enough to prevent them taking the whole thing? So I assume somethng bigger than a hotel safe or a table-fridge sized safe..

[lannarebirth]

What an unfortunate occurence Meadish. I have to do the computer shop rounds in the next week and I'll certainly keep a lookout for that very distinctive Swedish keyboard. It could have been any of us I suppose.

I backup my harddrive on a external, but it sits right on my desk too. I was more concerned about failure/corruption than theft, but i see now they'd likely steal my backup at the same time. Boy, have I been complacent. Been kinda window shopping for a safe for months but haven't closed the deal yet. think it's time...

[spectrum]

Extremely sorry to hear that, m_s .

In a recent thread about security, someone mentioned some pawn shops in the city that could be worth checking. I am sure all the forumites will be keeping a keen eye open.

BTW, data back-ups should be kept in a different location altogether from the computer, in case of fire.

The security issue has been on my mind recently, too. What can we do to protect ourselves more effectively ? It seems the best protection (once locks, lights etc. are taken care of) is having people present, and/or watching. It's not always so easy, in practice, for foreigners to get this kind of support system happening. There might well be a good business idea there for someone.

Perhaps we could try to get some kind of "Neighbourhood Watch" system going ? That has proven effective in Oz.

Anyone know where to get an "electric fence" here ?

Again, my commiserations to Mr. m_s.

[miltonbentley]

Meadish you have my deepest sympathies. I was burgled twice in 3 weeks and lost laptops both times but at least they left my back up hard drive. (I guess they didn't know what it was)

I now have a procedure something akin to Maejo Man's system with a second back up HD that lives in the safe. I am also looking at storing data online. To lose your work is gutting and I hope that somehow you manage to get it back.

My house is now alarmed up to the eyeballs, plus a big safe.. As MM says its all a monster pain but what alternative?

And a final tip to everyone out there make sure you get house insurance. It is not expensive in Thailand and will at least numb some of the pain from being burgled. Burglary is rife in CM at the moments so get protected as best you can.

Edited February 23, 2007 by miltonbentley

[spectrum]

My house is now alarmed up to the eyeballs

Milton, could you elaborate, please ? Can you recommend companies who can do this or did you DIY ?

[meadish_sweetball]

It seems the best protection (once locks, lights etc. are taken care of) is having people present, and/or watching. It's not always so easy, in practice, for foreigners to get this kind of support system happening.

Right. This is how the Thais seem to do it. Always at least one person in the house, and often a number of dogs in the yard after dark.

My take on backups is that CDs/DVDs is probably a safer idea in the long run, even though they do consume a lot of space and are easier to lose than an extra hard drive. But the backup hard drive is more likely to be stolen.

With a really heavy safe a la Maejo Man, one can put the backup hard drive in the safe when going out. Sounds like the way forward to me.

MM - is your safe even large enough to hold an entire laptop computer?

[lannarebirth]

It seems the best protection (once locks, lights etc. are taken care of) is having people present, and/or watching. It's not always so easy, in practice, for foreigners to get this kind of support system happening.

Right. This is how the Thais seem to do it. Always at least one person in the house, and often a number of dogs in the yard after dark.

My take on backups is that CDs/DVDs is probably a safer idea in the long run, even though they do consume a lot of space and are easier to lose than an extra hard drive. But the backup hard drive is more likely to be stolen.

With a really heavy safe a la Maejo Man, one can put the backup hard drive in the safe when going out. Sounds like the way forward to me.

MM - is your safe even large enough to hold an entire laptop computer?

Might I recommend this external hard drive. each time you turn it on it ask you if you want to back up the entire HD or just what's new since last backup. You click one button and it's done. it can be partitioned to back up several computers.

I couldn't find it in Chiang mai, but Pantip Bangkok has it for about 25% more than listed price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?...N82E16822144064

[Phil Conners]

Regarding safes - I've been told that the "heavy" standard type safe you see everywhere in Thaland ("Leeco" has a key and a code dial on the door) is not as safe as it looks. The door (and sides) are basically just a concrete slab in a thin layer of metal. Burglers cut a hole in the outer layer, crack the concrete, cut again through the inside layer and are through. Worth spending a little extra and get a reasonable quality safe if you want to make sure it's safe.

[Ta22]

Chiangmai seem to be less safe as year go by , and this is not some rare case and in fact this had been a chain of break in i had heard over the month and also not the first few i heard on the forum .

Might be from the same Gang or group .

Here one suggestion .

Find common link .

Those who got robbed . May be can get together , and compare contact .

thing like any thing in common ,

I am not point finger on anyone or who .

BUt like i said . There are some kinda trend here that work on some logic that the break in is commited KNOWING is worth the trip .

Assuming - someone had Tips off the robber about your net worth .

why there risk breaking in your house . so there must be some kinda secure data before there dare to come in .

-

Set up some kinda Watch @ where you stay . exchanging telephone number .. and Put up . Signage - which said .. some kinda Police watch or group Watch ..

Secure your compound . and give less reason for them to come in .

some house have poor design . and weak point which you might want to look at like low wall . -

If you need to Put dark film on your Window screen let me know i know a shop who is specialize in adding dark film on your window . to give it one way or reflective look . so people can't see from outside .

pardon my poor english .

It had happened . what you can do is prevent future possibility .

Robber and people who dare to break into house is not dumb people , and there usually have channel to digest your stuff , thing can go as far as bangkok overnight .

Tips of local transport . people .

i will check for your about the 300 baht of Gold .

is not easy to slel gold without taking notice . i know alot of large gold smith and a few people . will watch out for below market price Gold .

Persoanlly if i lost 3Million baht worth of gold . i would offer 10-25% worth of reward . 50k sound like peanut to work on .

do a List of thing you lost ,

start Tagging your value goods . Mark it with perm . engrave or hide sticker on the inner parts of it .

- alot is said . i'm sorry for what happen . now is the process where - as a targeted group of well off farang and expat . who should watch out for each other .

Good luck and may your family be safe

[Lucifer]

Later this year, the nips are bringing out a palm size external hard drive. It'll be battery powered and have bluetooth. Primerilly designed for the mobile phone(mp3's videos etc). The first one will be 40G, and by the end of the year an 80G version will be released.

You'll be able to hide one of those under the floorboards.

[Ta22]

My younger sister had been using a USB 30gb harddrive . for a while - is a small harddrive the size of a walkman .

run on battery . nowaday china make alot of small hardsize for about 60-80 usd worth checking it out . thailand may cost more back in singapore she got it for like 80 usd

Edited February 23, 2007 by Ta22

[cdnvic]

If you really want backups to work, find a friend you trust and store each other's backups so that a fire or burglary doesn't deprive you of both original, and backup.

[Dustoff]

~

No criticism whatsoever intended but I am a bit surprised that a 'super moderator'' computer-geek is not right up to the moment in backups.

We in the CM Expat Club's Computer Group have kicked this around; whether it is okay to partition the hard drive to provide backups (which you just discovered is absolutely worthless in your case) and, if not, what easy but efficient methods are available.

If it ain't super easy, people just are not going to do it - research the dreaded AGHM (Ain't Gonna Happen to Me) Syndrome ...

Laptop drives are not all that expensive and the investment in one or two, plus an external case, is WELL worth the cost! I use Acronis True Image to completely clone my hard drive which takes less than the time it takes me to shower, sheet and shave.

And this is not just a backup; it is a fully operational clone of my HD and I know that because I occasionally switch them to test their functionality. They are identical.

Once you have a clone or two you don't have to have a 500kg safe, only a bit of imagination to stash the clones. I am willing to bet that your burglars did not look for a ziplock bag at the bottom of your dirty laundry hamper or under your bathroom toilet-paper trashcan.. A pocket sewn into the bottom of a window drape in a dark corner of the most obscure room in your home? I would mention under that big dogfood bowl in your living room but if you had a big dog, the chances are very slim that you would have been victimized in the first place.

Unless of course you own a Pit Bull/Wife, either of which are distressingly prone to surprise attacks even against their owners...

I recently discovered that my best-of-the-best of 40 years of my photographs on 35mm slides of journeys around and around the world are gone and I am devastated! Many of them Nat Geo quality (they made offers) and I cannot believe that I was dumbass enough to never have made hi-res copies...

While in my longtime computer experience I know that catastrophic hard drive failures are relatively rare, it remains that it is an electronic/mechanical device that MUST eventually fail (forever is a word that has no meaning) - or be stolen - or burn up in a fire - or be dropped overboard from the railing of an inter-island ferry by some nitwit (yup, been there, done that)...

There are certain things that are basic:

When landing an aircraft, the three safety rules are (1)Airspeed, (2)Airspeed and (3)Airspeed.

In the computer world they are Backup, Backup, and Backup (in equal order of importance)...

Good luck, Meatball..ish...

[ThaiPauly]

Good luck Meadish.....I hope you get your stuff back..thats an awful thing to happen ...as you say its not so much the items stolen as the work on the computer that is ireplaceable......its FA use to them ..thats whats so frustrating for you...maybee worth taking out an ad in the local Thai language newspaper on Chiang Mai Land offering a reward fo the hard drive's return...no questions asked just leave it at their offices where you will leave the cash...not perfect but its all I can come up with...sorry