Software helps locate stolen Vegas computer

Kevin Ferguson

Thursday, July 19, 2001 | 11:22 a.m.

Shortly after James Triana of Las Vegas returned to his car after hitting a bucket of golf balls recently, something rather disturbing caused his blood pressure to rise.

The door to the AFLAC Insurance sales agent's Toyota Camry had been pried open and his business associate's laptop computer had been stolen.

"My wallet and everything else was still there, but the laptop and my briefcase were gone," Triana said.

The frequency of these types of thefts makes them difficult for police to investigate.

But Triana's case was unique because the computer was loaded with a software program called CyberAngel that allowed authorities to pinpoint the laptop's location the next time a user logged on to the Internet.

"I believe that's the only reason he got the computer back," said Las Vegas Metro Police Det. Nathaniel Anderson.

Retrieving the computer, however, wasn't quite as simple as breaking down a door and handcuffing the person sitting at a desk and clicking his or her way through cyberspace.

After issuing a search warrant late last month at the location the computer had been dialed into -- but connected to the web for only 23 seconds -- Anderson said the laptop didn't turn up right away.

Police didn't find enough evidence to warrant an arrest, but the person at the location agreed to make some calls that led to someone eventually leaving the laptop at an anonymous location for police to retrieve it.

Anderson said the police are still searching for the thief. He said that incident was the first time the department had been assisted in retrieving a computer using CyberAngel.

The mobility of laptops, PalmPilots and other handheld devices sometimes makes it challenging to make an arrest, Anderson said.

But "one of the benefits of (this technology) is that it documents the serial number of the computer and its location and it gives us a place to start," he said. "(CyberAngel) works a lot like LoJack."

LoJack is a security device installed in cars that helps law enforcement authorites trace stolen vehicles.

CyberAngel is made by Nashville, Tenn.-based Computer Security Software Inc.

Clamping down on thefts involving handheld technology gadgets is a growing struggle for law-enforcement agencies.

In fact, gathering data on financial losses resulting from such thefts is almost as difficult, said Tara Shepperson, executive director of the cybercrime task force for the Nevada Attorney General's office.

"We get a lot of complaints about stolen computers, but often they don't involve the loss of enough money to investigate because (law enforcement agencies) are overworked," Shepperson said.

"(Software) like CyberAngel are the wave of the future (in fighting these crimes)," Shepperson said.

When the CyberAngel Security Monitoring Center is activated, it silently notifies local law enforcement authorities about an unauthorized entry.

Since launching the software four years ago, Computer Sentry Software President Bradley Liede said the company has had a 94 percent retrieval rating. Out of 36 computers that have been stolen, 33 have been retrieved.

He said the average recovery time is three months.

"Cases where there is short-term recovery time, we usually catch the person who stole the computer. But when it takes longer, its usually because (the thief) doesn't use it. Instead, he just turns around and sells it. That makes it harder to catch him," Liede said.

Tommy McKey, the AFLAC Insurance sales agent whose laptop was yanked from his co-worker's car, said that recent experience had made him change his tune toward the technology.

"I used to think it was a pain to type in a password every time I use (the computer), but now I'm glad I work for a company that had the foresight to invest in the technology," McKey said, noting he has bought the software for his home computer, too.

"If they break into my house, you know they are going to take the computer, and if police can locate the computer, they may be able to get the rest of my stuff back."