Airport Thieves Target Notebook Computers

Notebook computers are an increasingly popular target of thieves at airports, according to officials at the Road Warrior Outpost, a Fountain Valley company that sells equipment and services for portable computers.

Kevin Prince, vice president at the company, says the scam works like this: Two thieves spot a person about to carry a notebook computer through a metal detector. Both get in line ahead of the victim. One thief slips through the detector with no problem and waits on the other side. The other sets off the alarm as soon as the victim has set his computer down on the conveyor belt. While the victim waits for thief No. 2 to empty his pockets, thief No. 1 plucks the laptop from the conveyor belt and walks away.

To avoid the scam, steer clear of long lines, delay putting your computer on the belt until you’re next in line to go through the metal detector, and keep your eyes on the machine, Prince said.

“You might also have a guard hand check your computer instead of putting it through,” said Prince, who recently sent a warning about airport theft to subscribers to the Road Warrior’s electronic newsletter.

Greg Miller covers high technology for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-7830 and at greg.miller@latimes.com.