According to Safeware Insurance, Over 600,000 laptop computers were stolen in 2004, resulting in over $720 million in losses. Of this, over $5 billion dollars was lost due to theft of proprietary information.

According to the FBI, only 3% of stolen laptop computers are recovered.

Laptops are frequently stolen. If you own a laptop, there is a 10% chance that it will be stolen from you during the course of your ownership.

Aside from the fact that laptop computers are costly, (averaging over $1000 each) it is the personal information included on the laptop that is the most valuable. The personal data that a thief can get off of your laptop can quickly result in identity theft - resulting in even bigger losses. If you use your laptop for business, a thief could easily get his hands on highly confidential proprietary information that can cause a huge problem for your company.

There is no way to predict whether or not your laptop will be stolen or lost, but there are some things you can do to minimize the chance of laptop theft and minimize the damage incurred if indeed your laptop is lost or stolen.

1. Never leave your laptop unattended. This may seem like common sense, but all it takes is a few seconds for a thief to steal your laptop. Whether you are in a coffee shop or an airport, keep your eye on your laptop at all times.
2. Carry your laptop in a case that is unobtrusive and "plain". You don't want to call attention to your laptop. If a thief sees an expensive and fancy laptop case, he will assume there is something worth stealing inside it.
3. Don't "flash" your laptop. If you are in an area where no one else is using a laptop, don't pull yours out. You never want to call attention to yourself and your valuable notebook computer. If you don't see any other laptops being used, there may be a good reason for this....
4. If you must leave your laptop unattended in an unsecured area, be sure to use a notebook security cable or an alarmed lock for laptops to help deter theft.
5. To minimize the possibility that a thief will get hold of personal information and possibly steal your data or identity, use a privacy suite like CyberScrub to keep your laptop "clean" and data files safe. CyberScrub will also ensure that deleted files are permanently erased from your hard drive. See this page for more information on data and privacy protection.
6. Make sure your homeowners or renters insurance will cover the loss of a laptop in the event it is stolen or lost. You can buy laptop insurance from companies like Safeware, or you may get a better deal if you shop around for homeowners or renters insurance that will cover your laptop also.
7. Ensure that thieves and snoops cannot get into your laptop by using a biometric fingerprint reader as a logon. With a device like this, only you can access your laptop and the data it contains.
8. Don't let a thief get hold of your passwords. Most people let their web browser remember their user ID and passwords for them. This is very convenient, but it also makes this confidential information available to anyone who accesses your laptop computer. Turn off your browser's password management feature and use password management software instead. RoboForm is one of the best password managers on the market, and all data is securely encrypted. RoboForm includes online form filling capabilities as well. It is free to download and use in a limited capacity. The paid version lets you store unlimited passwords.

These tips won't prevent your laptop from getting stolen, but should minimize the chance of this happening. Taking precautions by using privacy protection software as well as an encrypted password manager will help ensure that your data cannot get into the wrong hands even if your laptop does.