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Original poster

In shock, just realised laptop stolen

48 replies

Bloodybridget · 26/06/2021 22:36

I think an opportunist thief came in while I was out, DP in back garden, front door left open while a man who's working on the front garden went to the loo (portaloo outside). Dp and I got home c 6pm, v tired, I only noticed laptop gone about 45 minutes ago. Set of keys gone too so will have to change locks. I'm really worried because I had details of loads of accounts etc in a document on the laptop. I've contacted all my credit a debit card companies but what else should I do? So upset

OP posts:
captainprincess · 26/06/2021 23:15

How awful! Is there any chance it was the man working on the garden?

MittensForKittens123 · 26/06/2021 23:18

Is it an apple laptop? If so you should be able to wipe it remotely. (Windows might have this function too?)

GNCQ · 26/06/2021 23:20

Shit!
What did the police advise? How upsetting.

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covidcloser · 26/06/2021 23:22

Why was the front door open, the man is working in the garden and has a portaloo?

CommanderBurnham · 26/06/2021 23:22

Change your passwords and your locks. Secure your house. Alert the police and the neighbours of you trust them.

Original poster
Bloodybridget · 26/06/2021 23:39

Thanks for responses. It was a PC and I have no idea if I can wipe documents from it remotely - I will ask someone for advice tomorrow. No actual contact with police, crimes like this can only be reported online in our area now. I have contacted my card companies and all cards now blocked so presumably can't be used online. We'll get locks changed tomorrow. Have told neighbours via street WhatsApp group, also in case anyone saw anything.

I would be v surprised if it was the workman. There's a portaloo because we are having the front garden redone, it's a big job which has already taken two weeks and is far from finished. Not keen on having workmen coming in and out of the house a lot, especially with Covid - nothing to do with being precious about the loo, before anyone suggests that.
The other possibility is that DP didn't double lock the door when she left the house and someone just slipped the Yale lock, I think that would be quite easy. The workmen have been leaving the front door on the latch sometimes, they keep big tools inside and have a lead going through the letterbox for electricity.

OP posts:
covidcloser · 26/06/2021 23:42

There's a portaloo because we are having the front garden redone, it's a big job which has already taken two weeks and is far from finished. Not keen on having workmen coming in and out of the house a lot, especially with Covid - nothing to do with being precious about the loo, before anyone suggests that.

I understand that. But why was the front door open while the man used the portaloo?

covidcloser · 26/06/2021 23:44

Oh ignore me I have just seen it's for tools/electric!

MilesOfSand · 26/06/2021 23:47

Was it password protected? It’s pretty hard to bypass that I think.

Fiddliestofsticks · 26/06/2021 23:49

Have you got any additional security on your doors tonight? They have your keys, and you're not changing the locks until tomorrow?
I wouldnt be able to sleep, but I'm a single mum so I'm alone with 2 young children so the idea of going to sleep when someone who already stole from me has my house keys.... nope.

UhtredRagnarson · 26/06/2021 23:49

Honestly Op I’d suspect the workmen.

Original poster
Bloodybridget · 26/06/2021 23:50

@milesofsand just a PIN

OP posts:
Original poster
Bloodybridget · 26/06/2021 23:53

@Fiddliestofsticks we have a bolt and a chain on the door, have put the latch down on the Yale lock and left keys in the mortice lock. So I don't think anyone could get in.

OP posts:
thunderandsunshine01 · 26/06/2021 23:57

To be honest if they’ve taken your house keys I’d be trying to set up a hidden camera ASAP in case they come by to chance their luck! You may be able to catch a good image!!

magicstar1 · 26/06/2021 23:59

It can happen. I was painting my front door once...came in to get something and sensed someone standing behind me. It was a drug addict who’d come into my living room. I threw him out but I’ve no doubt he would have grabbed anything available to steal.

CupOfTPlease · 27/06/2021 00:03

I'm confused. Your DP was in the garden then you mentioned you both came home at 6pm?

Do you have any new workmen?

covidcloser · 27/06/2021 00:27

Grabbing a laptop is different to disconnecting and taking a PC - I would definitely suspect the workman. An opportunistic theif walking past wouldn't be stealing a PC.

Original poster
Bloodybridget · 27/06/2021 01:23

It was a laptop, I said PC as not Apple. Small, light and very easy to grab. @CupofTPlease I went out in the morning, DP was home, she went out later and we came home together. The young man who was working here yesterday has been here every day except Sunday for the past two weeks. He has been employed by the landscaping firm for three years, I really don't have any suspicion that he was the thief.

OP posts:
kwaziseyepatch · 27/06/2021 02:00

Aw OP happened to me once when I was working on my laptop in my basement kitchen. Went upstairs for less than a minute and came back to find back door open and laptop gone. Took me a while to work it out. Such a shock especially as it felt like someone was watching through the window to pull that off

EveryoneIsThere · 27/06/2021 02:15

Change your email passwords ASAP

Then work you way through every other online account you can think of.

When you say you had a document with details of accounts in it what did you mean? Did you list all your account details including full passwords?

Then google some more advice
Such as.....
THIS INFO

DumplingsAndStew · 27/06/2021 02:21

Confused Was it a laptop or a PC?

safariboot · 27/06/2021 02:21

If you do work on it you need to tell your employer. It could well be a reportable data breach, or company confidential information could get in the wrong hands.

OnWhatPlanet · 27/06/2021 02:32

Your pin wasn't something very easy guessable like year of birth or anniversary dates?

Does windows have a version find my like Apple and some android devices? Might be worth trying to find out if their is. I haven't used windows in a while.

My fil had his iPad stolen in holiday and he didn't notice for a few days. He stayed logged into almost everything, had his passwords saved in a document instead of the password app installed for him. He didn't have his passcode code on either after being strongly advised to but he felt because he wasn't taking it out of the villa I was being precious 🙄 his villa got done over.

I'd be changing passwords to emails, PayPal, online banking, eBay, every account you can think of, also set up two factor ID on anything it's available for, and also some accounts you can log out on all other devices from on your phone so if you've stayed logged on the laptop such as Netflix, Facebook you can log the other devices out in the settings somewhere.

I hope nothing more comes of it, it's horrible to think of someone coming in your home Thanks

Wallpapering · 27/06/2021 02:49

Change all passwords for email addresses, then do same for any sites logged in on laptop.

If u use Facebook , Twitter etc check settings as you can revoke device permission also especially if you have set up things like msoffice where you share access btwn your phone or any other device with laptop.

slowtik · 27/06/2021 03:03

@DumplingsAndStew

Confused Was it a laptop or a PC?
Rtft
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