Caution: laptop theft

1. Caution: laptop theft Information and tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of this crime

2. Overview • Why is there theft on our campus? • Our most targeted areas for theft. • How to spot a thief. • How to protect your laptop. • Helpful statistics on theft. • Why? • Hotspots • I spy • Tips • Stats

3. Laptop Theft The skinny on laptop theft Why is this a problem on our campus? The truth of the matter is that all universities are targets for theft and McGill is no exception, especially since we are adjacent to downtown and many of our buildings are open to the public. Professionals know this fact and come to McGill to troll well-populated areas and take advantage of the fact that you are distracted and think you are only surrounded by other students and therefore safe from theft.

4. Laptop Theft • Where does most theft happen? • Any well-populated area is attractive to thieves but here are some of our hotspots: • Cafeteria “Sinfully Asian” @ Bronfman • Bronfman 2nd Floor Study Area • Redpath & McLennan Libraries • Schulich Engineering Library • Currie Gym Locker Rooms

5. How doI spot a thief? Be aware of your surroundings and who comes into it. He or she certainly does NOT look like this! A thief often looks out of place, but not always: sometimes we have pros who try to “blend in” by trying to look like a student, but don’t base yourself on their attire. Look for behavior that is odd: someone who comes in and looks at the floor for unattended bags. Someone who comes into a cafeteria and does not get food. They often seem distracted and are fidgety because they are nervous. Again, it can be one of these things orall of these things. The key here is, that by paying attention to people around you and their behavior, you are in control of your environment and not the other way around.

6. Tips • Leaving your bag unattended is risky, it only takes 10 seconds to steal a laptop. It’s too risky, take it with you. • If you asksomeone else to look after your stuff, remember that they’re distracted too, and they don’t care about your stuff like you do. • Storing your laptop in a locker is not safe. Some thieves have gear that can detect a device with a lithium battery i.e. your laptop. • Invest in a STOP Plate, a cost effective anti-theft deterrent system. Learn more • Report all thefts with us @ 398-3000. • Report thefts onlineto the SPVM (Montreal Police).

7. Statistics In 2013 there were 147 thefts that occurred on McGill Campus. 42 of those thefts occurred in libraries. 30 of those thefts which occurred in libraries, involved the theft of electronic devices, mostly laptops. In January of 2014 alone, there were 30 thefts on campus. 16 of those thefts were laptops, 3 of which occurred in libraries, and, 4 of those were at a cafeteria on campus. The buildings most affected in January 2014 were: Bronfman, Macdonald Stewart Library, and Redpath/McLennan Libraries.

8. Questions?More Information? • www.mcgill.ca/security • campus.security@mcgill.ca • (514) 398-6112 (Investigator) • 805 Sherbrooke St. West, Rm. 120 • Montreal, QC H3A 0B9