Laptop Thief Caught via AOL Login

Mundocani writes "Yahoo (Reuters) is reporting that the FBI has caught the guy who stole computers from Wells Fargo. The interesting part is that 'Investigators traced the computer to Krastof when he logged onto his own America Online account at home through one of the stolen computers.' Makes you wonder what sort of hooks the FBI has into AOL or other ISPs and what hardware identification is being transmitted at login."

Mac address perhaps ?

[Anonymous Coward]

Mac address perhaps ?

last thing the thief heard...

[dark_day]

"You've got jail!"

Moral of the story...

[jkrise]

1. When you steal computers, don't steal laptops.
2. After stealing a dedsktop PC, even if it has the latest Windows OS and Service Pack, format the disk and load RedHat.
3. If you steal a Linux PC, install Windows on it for a year, then switch back - even AOL can't maintain that big a log!
4. Don't use AOl - switch over to MSN - it's much more secure - instead of the FBI, it'll be the BSA that's after you!

damnit.

[fuckfuck101]

That's the last time I steal a computer to login to AIM again.

I bet they tracked him down by IM

[H8X55]

Makes you wonder what sort of hooks the FBI has into AOL or other ISPs and what hardware identification is being transmitted at login.

i bet it wasn't that complicated.

fbiAgentd00d99: Yo man, what's up?
LaptopThief2310: Not much, i just ripped off some computers! HA HA WOOT!
fbiAgentd00d99: SWEET!
LaptopThief2310: Yeah I rockxxorz. Now I'm takin' a pic of me, an all the computers i stoled w/ a sony cybershot i "found".
fbiAgentd00d99: You pwn3! Send me that pic! I'm gonna put it on my website!

There we have it folks, probable cause, as well as an IP address.

Take off your tinfoil hat

[brunes69]

If this is anything like 95% of the windows laptops I know of, it was littered with bonsai buddy and RealPlayer and Windows Update and tons of other calling home crap. And more than likely, this bozo didn't format the PC or anything else. All the FBI would have to do is find out whats on the PC, and contact these companies for that software's unique IDs.

What Kind Of Moron?

[Anonymous Coward]

What kind of moron steals a computer, hooks it up the internet without first 1. formatting it. 2. installing a firewall. 3. resetting the rule on any installed firewalls to only allow certain programs you know access to the internet. 4. uses someone elses account when it's just as easy to get a "new" account with AOL 5. uses AOL 6. Does it from their home. You would think that if this dipshit did this stuff for a living he would be better at it. Maybe he was fired from his job at the RIAA.

Re:PC call home

[beacher]

Nah.. I have a copy of the evidence right here....

Subject: ME TOO
From: Krastof ([e-mail])
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: comp.laptops.stolen
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 09:18:22 -0500

They should talk to the MPAA

[Anonymous Coward]

Imagine the look on a 14-year old filesharer's face when they're computer announces "you've got jail!" immeadiately after they install Kazaa.

sed -e s/threw/through/g your_post

[pr0ntab]

nt

AOL spy agency :)

[braddeicide]

AOL logs your thumbprint if you use the thumbpad mouse :P And this microphone hole in my monitor is really sampling my breath or somthing.

when thefting a laptop from your work.

[Anonymous Coward]

insert win98 boot cd
format c: /u
install windows ME or 2000 or XP PRO CORP

sell quickly.

Re:PC call home

[Pastis]

Actually companies now have a reason to let employees put software on the company's laptops: they allow to catch you the guy who's going to steal your computers.

Re:99% clueless techie-wannabees

[drakyri]

No, no, no, it's on page 255 of the MSCE prep guide.

D'oh.

Re:Ugh... Grammar not good...

[Anonymous Coward]

Which I had thought to change to...

It's getting better, but still not quite there yet.

Re:Mac address perhaps ?

[Epistax]

On a windows box you can change the MAC address by creating a network bridge and adding your network connection to it. On a linux box you probably just have to edit a file called something like
MAC Address DO NOT CHANGE.conf
And then they put it as read only hoping no one learns how to use chmod.

Re:"You've got jail"

[grolschie]

To the pc thief: fdisk is your friend.