Avon and Somerset: Police recover stolen laptops thanks to tracking software

September 17, 2012, 4:08 pm

Suspected stolen laptops recovered thanks to tracking software.

Police are urging people to download tracking software on to their computers and smart phones after arresting a man and recovering four laptops, which officers believe were stolen in a burglary the previous day.

A 36-year-old man was arrested in Portishead on Saturday on suspicion of burglary and attempted theft.

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Police made the arrest after the victim of a burglary on Friday in Clifton, Bristol, in which four laptops were stolen, activated tracking software that he had downloaded on to his laptops.

The software sent an update to the victim including a picture of a potential suspect, an IP address and a GPRS signal with a map indicating the approximate location of the laptop.

The victim gave this information to police officers who made checks on the location before attending the address, where they seized four laptops and arrested a man.

The arrests were part of Operation Relentless, a forcewide campaign to tackle serious acquisitive crime such as burglary, robbery and cycle theft.

Chief Inspector Paul Mogg said: “Tackling burglary and serious acquisitive crime is a priority for Avon and Somerset Police and that’s what this Operation Relentless drive is all about.
“We are determined to use all our powers and the tools available to us to relentlessly pursue burglars, put them before the courts and bring them to justice.
“Tracking software is another powerful tool in the fight against thieves and we would recommend people make use of the software that is available to download on computers and some smart phones, which can be activated remotely to find the location of your device if it ever goes missing.
“We also want to help victims by reuniting them with their property. Often it is not just the cost of replacing laptops or phones that matters to people, but the irreplaceable things lost like contact numbers, work or photographs.”

A 36-year-old man has been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

Find out more about how we are keeping you safe by visiting our Operation Relentless section and report intelligence, in confidence, through our online form.