AfterDawn: News

Man tracks stolen MacBook with anti-theft application

Police return MacBook to man who kept tabs on thief's activities.

Joshua Kaufman, of Oakland, California, had his MacBook stolen from his apartment after a break in on March 21. When he realized the MacBook was gone, he took advantage of an anti-theft application called Hidden which let him see images from the webcam, as well as content on the screen.



He originally took the evidence to the police, but due to resource restrictions, they were unable to help him even though he had photos of somebody using his MacBook.

Kaufman then took his campaign online to a blog, where he posted several images he had gotten back from his MacBook. Oakland police got in contact with him soon after and got to the task of attempting to track down the individual in the photos, which didn't take long with the mountain of evidence Kaufman already had.

"Update: (May 31, 8:37 PM PST) ARRESTED! An Oakland police officer just called me to let me know that they arrested the guy in my photos! BOOYA! The police used my evidence (email which pointed to a cab service) that he was a driver and tricked him into picking them up. Nice work OPD!" he posted to his blog.

Muthanna Aldebashi is being held on a charge of suspicion of possessing stolen property. Kaufman got his MacBook back from police on Wednesday.



Written by: James Delahunty @ 3 Jun 2011 1:51

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• 19 comments

• KillerBug

  "He originally took the evidence to the police, but due to resource restrictions, they were unable to help him even though he had photos of somebody using his MacBook."
  
  They were probably too busy enforcing pointless moralist laws to bother with any kind of "serving" or "protecting".
  

  http://killerbug666.wordpress.com/

  3.6.2011 05:17 #1

• minghi

  the guy looks more like a lonely loser than a thief

  3.6.2011 08:05 #2

• robertmro

  Send that guy to GITMO and water board him.
  

  3.6.2011 08:14 #3

• LordRuss

  I'm with Killer on this one... Couldn't believe the bullshit excuse the police gave the victim for not busting the thief... "Resource Restrictions"? What the hell does that mean? At what time does law enforcement "not" have resources to enforce the law?
  
  The weasel that stole his laptop doesn't look like he was down trodden enough he couldn't afford his own laptop of some sort on his own, so busting his ass to the fullest extent of the law for good old fashioned prison bitch time will be good for him. You know, 90 days or so should be sufficient.
  
  It's not like he was so poor that he had to steal the computer for bread to feed his family. No, he needed something for his unbridled porn goodness. Hope the poor victim busted out the industrial acid wet-naps and sterilized that keyboard of all the crusties before he started typing again.
  
  F^&##n nasty bastard...
  

  If something I said bothers you, then maybe you needed bothern...
  
  For advanced bothern... http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com/

  3.6.2011 10:21 #4

• SANDY13

  Originally posted by robertmro: Send that guy to GITMO and water board him.
  Why send him to GITMO, Because he has a foreign name.
  Junkies, DRUNKies, loser and abuser, is all all left in this world?
  SAS
  

  HI 2 ALL.

  3.6.2011 10:37 #5

• blueboy09

  You know, this is one of the reasons why I think that people tend to take the law into their own hands, because the law doesn't seem to give a damn about the victim anymore, and are more intent of protecting the accused. LordRuss is right, Resource Restrictions? The hell?! - BLUEBOY
  

  Chance prepares the favored mind. Look up once in a while and you might learn something. - BLUEBOY

  3.6.2011 13:45 #6

• Mez

  Originally posted by KillerBug: "He originally took the evidence to the police, but due to resource restrictions, they were unable to help him even though he had photos of somebody using his MacBook."
  
  They were probably too busy enforcing pointless moralist laws to bother with any kind of "serving" or "protecting". Or just too busy eating donuts. At least someone had a brain on the force. That was very bad press especially if they never acted on it.
  
  Blueboy that reminds me of a great story. Some one was doing something he shouldn't on this guy's farm. The guy call the cops and they were not eager to do anything so the guy said 'have it your way' and hung up the phone. They called back emediatly but he didn't pick up so they sent out several crusers right away.

  3.6.2011 15:40 #7

• LordRuss

  It's getting to the point where our society is going to out "better" ourselves into extinction. Or basically, we're going to contradict our judicial and moral system to a point that we can't move to protect ourselves much less anyone else.
  
  It's not exactly a theory I can explain in one little comment, but if anyone here in the US has heard of the man drowning in San Fransisco while four separate rescue departments literally stood and watched (about 2/3 days ago) all for literally legal and training reasons, maybe you could help reflect on the concept I'm trying to expand on here.
  
  If ever there were a time as a society and a culture we might want to back slide a bunch, NOW would probably be a great time for it.
  

  If something I said bothers you, then maybe you needed bothern...
  
  For advanced bothern... http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com/

  3.6.2011 17:06 #8

• llongtheD

  When a corporation loses an item like an iphone prototype for example, the police take over the residence of a citizen with swat team force to retrieve it. Funny how that works...
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  4.6.2011 01:20 #9

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by llongtheD: When a corporation loses an item like an iphone prototype for example, the police take over the residence of a citizen with swat team force to retrieve it. Funny how that works... When you can afford to pay for or some would use the euphemism "grease the wheels" of justice, then pushing for priority or simply abusing the judicial system for your own gains leaves the rest of the world in actual NEED of help; sucking the hind tit (if I could leave that as another euphemism).
  
  Obviously, that's why politics & money go hand in hand. Justice 'really' doesn't exist any more. Not in the US anyway; I can't speak for other nations, but I'm sure some folks may echo a similarity.
  
  I'm writing a blog with a myriad of stuff reflecting what you folks here have said & what has happened in my life. Give it a look here about Sunday & leave a comment on the site ("that" site, not here). The address is in my signature. Don't worry, I don't bite.
  

  4.6.2011 11:25 #10

• llongtheD

  Originally posted by LordRuss: Originally posted by llongtheD: When a corporation loses an item like an iphone prototype for example, the police take over the residence of a citizen with swat team force to retrieve it. Funny how that works... When you can afford to pay for or some would use the euphemism "grease the wheels" of justice, then pushing for priority or simply abusing the judicial system for your own gains leaves the rest of the world in actual NEED of help; sucking the hind tit (if I could leave that as another euphemism).
  
  Obviously, that's why politics & money go hand in hand. Justice 'really' doesn't exist any more. Not in the US anyway; I can't speak for other nations, but I'm sure some folks may echo a similarity.
  
  I'm writing a blog with a myriad of stuff reflecting what you folks here have said & what has happened in my life. Give it a look here about Sunday & leave a comment on the site ("that" site, not here). The address is in my signature. Don't worry, I don't bite. Thats exactly what I was insinuating. I'm curious to check out your blog this Sunday.
  

  If your fish seems sick, put it back in the water.

  4.6.2011 21:00 #11

• Snozzle

  Yep, by the look of that ornate wooden bedhead, Mr Aldebashi has been doing life real hard. Hope he can get accustomed to having his face shoved hard into his prison issue pillow.

  6.6.2011 06:32 #12

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by Snozzle: Yep, by the look of that ornate wooden bedhead, Mr Aldebashi has been doing life real hard. Hope he can get accustomed to having his face shoved hard into his prison issue pillow. Must not have been too bad, that bed frame doesn't look like it's from some of the flop houses I've had the displeasure of attending. Maybe karma will get a turn at the barrel as well?
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  6.6.2011 09:06 #13

• mudbrick

  Sounds as though your American system of law enforcement is as slack as our Australian system. I do love to hear your penalties dished out of cumulative, rather than concurrent, years of jail time coupled with large monetary fines. As an ex-cop, rest assured you are not on your own when it comes to selective policing, it took me 2 years of push, shove and threat to have my matter heard simply because my accused were of the rank above Assistant Commissioner. Even the deaths of two fellow officers were not sufficient to crack the wall of silence when wealthy (public cash) powerful crooks pull the strings. It will forever be thus.

  7.6.2011 17:53 #14

• LordRuss

  @mudbrick...
  
  ain't that the way of the land. Such is the mighty shit sandwich of life; and we're all gonna get a bite. Yet, the more bread (old slang for money here in the US) you have, the less shit you have to eat...
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  7.6.2011 18:14 #15

• gpsmall

  Note that the police charged him with possession of stolen property and not breaking & entering or burglary, so it is possible he is not the thief but simply a buyer of a stolen macbook at a bargain price. Hope the thief gets busted as well.

  9.6.2011 20:21 #16

• LordRuss

  If Joshua's lucky, the guy guilty of possession flips on the guy who sold him the laptop. Otherwise he's a lying sack and get's to play a hairy Mary Lou Retton for 90 days in the county lock up.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  10.6.2011 12:20 #17

• CONZZ (unverified)

  Joshua is lucky, same thing just happened to me. My macbook was stolen in a church parking lot (in my trunk). I have it registered on iCloud and I can see the location. I know where its at but its just not clear which house on the GPS on the app. If you guys wanna see the screen shots its on my blog.
  iknowwheretheyare.tumblr.com
  
  but yeah, police in my town cant do anything.

  10.1.2012 13:53 #18

• LordRuss

  Originally posted by CONZZ: but yeah, police in my town cant do anything. As garbage as it sounds, you might want to try & hire a detective of sorts to get your laptop back. Some cops or security (off duty cops) who can carry a concealed weapon off duty will take a few bucks to go door to door & ask questions pertaining to absolutely nothing regarding your laptop. Next thing you know, they'll happen into the pricks house, see your property confirm it & help you to make the arrest.
  
  If nothing more it's worth a try. Cost? I couldn't immediately tell you.
  

  http://onlyinrussellsworld.blogspot.com

  10.1.2012 14:28 #19