iPhones, iPods Tagged by NYPD to Crack Down on iCrimes

[Michael Essany]

You can almost hear the theme song from "Cops" playing in the distance as you read this headline.

According to a report from the New York University student newspaper, there is widespread gadget and computer theft taking place on the hallowed educational grounds of NYU. The situation has gotten so bad, that New York's Finest have been called in to help crack down on "iCrimes."

From Cult of Mac:

In an effort to stop campus gadget and computer thefts, New York police are bringing an ID program to the New York University students.

Beginning this week, the NYPD will provide the space and manpower to set up an "engraving station" in a dorm lobby at NYU. The police are asking students to lug their tech goodies - iPods, cell phones, laptops, etc. - down to the facility so that each can be tagged for later tracing.

How does it work? Well, if you asked James Bond, 007 would tell you that high-tech crime can only be prevented with high-tech solutions. And that's exactly what the NYPD is putting to use to curb campus theft.

An infrared pen will mark student gadgets with a serial number that will be housed in an NYPD database, allowing police to access a description, model and owner information, should the device be recovered. After items are tagged, police can view the serial number by shining a light on it.

As the article indicates, the NYU anti-iCrime program is nothing new. A New Hampshire high school recently initiated a similar program. But the efforts now underway at NYU are massive by comparison given the university's student body of approximately 55,000. That's a whole lot of taggin' and baggin' for the iPods and iPhones native to the campus.

Once again, it’s debatable whether ID-ing gadgets will prevent swiping or if it would be easier if Apple provided some sort of lock-down system after thefts.

Is the NYPD's effort the best option available? Probably not. But it's a start. And anything to slow the iCrimes that are causing no shortage of problems for students is worth the energy, at least for now.

Image from Cult of Mac

[steve-z17]

This is why I never leave any of my stuff in a classroom or library, my laptop goes everywhere I go It's too bad you can't trust fellow students and classmates, I guess money's more important to some ppl. I think the engraving is definitely better than nothing. So hopefully it'll crack down on some of the thefts.

[hollow0]

Yeah, so true i trust almost no one. I always bring my Mac to class and at times leave it there because i know the teacher is there...now i don't think i want to do that. But my iPhone comes with me everywhere, from bathroom to classroom..it's there!

This is a good option for security and hopefully it solves the problem or at least helps it.

Love the picture lol. Lego popo!

[CaptainChaos]

It sucks that people have to actually resort to this to keep what is rightfully theirs.

[TooSlo]

I think it's things like this that make me so nervous to even consider purchasing a second iphone from somewhere like Craigslist.

So many shiesty people selling "phone only" or "new, but doesn't come w/ box" that you just have to know that some of those are stolen.

It's sad really that society is falling to the level that it has. I keep my devices with me 100% of the time, and my lappy stays in my stealth messenger bag.

[punjabi212]

As a NYU student, its a shame that people steal. Glad mine hasn't been stolen...YET.

[Bruno615]

NYPD has been offering this for a while. For students, they do free engraving of a serial number on the back of your items (laptops, mp3 players, etc), but there is nothing infrared about it (and it looks kind of sloppy). I haven't heard of anyone recovering something lost, but I'm sure it happens.

[rhekt]

well this will work unless its the person who stole the electronics who brings it down for engraving. its a better idea for the individual to keep all serial# on hand and receipts stored in a separate location

[confucious]

Police in the UK have been doing this for years, every now and again you'll find a police stand set up in town where you can take things along for marking. No one is forced to do it but it's a free service if you want it and if your goods are ever stolen it does make it easier to identify them.
Personally I've never seen the need but lots of people do get their stuff tagged.