On Thursday evening my car was broken into in a parking lot in a suburban neighborhood. The thief took my briefcase and suit coat, among other things. He got my laptop as part of the deal.
Since I move around so much, my laptop has been configured so I can do almost anything from anywhere. I communicate with most people via email, transmit documents via email and receive my faxes via eFax. I keep my schedule in Outlook. I don't have complete paper files as it is easier to carry everything everywhere if it is in electronic format. I back up my data every week or two and try to hotsync my Blackberry every day so I am updated.
Last backup was a couple of weeks ago and I didn't hotsysnc before leaving the office as I figured I would just do it at home later. Unfortunately, I lost a whole lot of data and think I have some appointments next week, but can't remember all of it off the top of my head.
Yeah, I can count the dollars lost on the laptop. It is easy to count those as I have already bought another one. It is easy to figure out the value of the digital camera sine I can look that up online.
Now I need to have the new system set up. More money. I might miss an appointment. More money ? The whole file for a last Friday morning meeting was in my briefcase. That meeting didn't go well when I was explaining things off the top of my head. Prospect wanted a wirtten proposal. More money and credibilty loss.
I would gladly pay 10 times what the guy is going to get from the pawn shop just to get my life back !
What did I learn ? Two things.
1. Thieves come from the city to the suburbs to steal more often than I thought.
2. Hooters doesn't have security cameras in the parking lot.
Do you have questions about distressed assets, receivership or bankruptcy sales, auctions? Email me at rfk@gryphonusa.com and I'll try to answer it in an upcoming post.
Richard F. Kruse is the President of Columbus, Ohio based Gryphon USA, Ltd. (www.gryphonusa.com). The Gryphon Organization includes Gryphon Asset Management providing receivership and consulting services in the distressed marketplace, United Country Gryphon Realty & Auction Group (www.ucohiorealty.com & www.ucohioauctions.com) providing real estate brokerage and auction services throughout Ohio and OnlineAuctionUSA.com (www.onlineauctionusa.com) providing commercial asset liquidations from the Midwest to East Coast.
United Country Gryphon Realty & Auction Career Opportunities Available. Call 614-885-0020 x 17
Sorry to hear about your loss.
Additional Lessons learned:
- Backup daily. At the end of each day around Midnight. Western Digital One Touch
- Always leave all incoming and outgoing messages on the server. Remove the junk weekly.
- Always print a hard copy of your appointments once a week.
- Synce you PDA daily.
- Make it difficult for other to access your data by password protecting your systems and confidential files. Use a series of upper cases, lower cases, symbols and numbers.
- Use an online storage program such as XDrive to save documents.
- Before leaving one location to go to another, make sure you put your expensive items in the trunk before hand.
Odds are you will never see the laptop again. Check the area pawn shops frequently.That's a bummer! I hope you reported it to the police. Also, with all of the sensative data that you probably had on their with people's information, you may want to inform the police and those people....You don't want it to come back on you even harder for identity theft!
Scott
I had visions of my laptop being stolen from my car this week when I went into a restaurant to eat with friends for lunch. It was on my seat in a bag.
I'm so sorry it happened to you. The data is far more valuable than the machine, isn't it!
Nothing that can't be found on a business card is in those files, but good thought.
I am sure I will never see it again. I actually got on the phone and bought a new one about 15 mintues after I found out about the theft. Called the police. They can't do anything and we all knew it. I do have a report number and that will help with the insurance.
I also usually do use the trunk. Unfortunately it was full of Open signs that day.
It is too bad that we all need to always be on guard about everything these days.
Hey Rich.... I know what you are going through....I went through it TWICE. The last time was about 2 years ago. The first time...I thought my life was over..... I really did. 90% of my life is in my lap top.... talking mostly about work.
The lap top that you just bought. Did you get it yet? I am not the most knowledgable when it comes to computers and electronics. But I know lap tops have come out with a GPS system now, just because of this. Look into it. I am buying a new lap top next month and that is going to be my priority.
Good luck....
I carry my Tablet PC like a purse, using a shoulder strap. I keep it with me always, never leave it in the car. What a tough lesson, I feel for you.
www.HomeROme.com
Baltimore,Md
I carry my Tablet PC like a purse (shoulder strap). It goes with me,never stays in the car. I feel for you.
www.HomeRome.com
Baltimore,Md
That's a HUGE price to pay, just to go to Hooters!
I hate it when this happens!
Rich Jacobson, www.KitsapLife.com
I need to spend a few thousand getting back everything I lost, my wife is giving me a bunch of grief, I get to deal with 2 insurance companies and the wings are not that great.
On the plus side, I was right! The scenery in there is not what it was in the 90's and the food is going down hill.
I'd love a new car.
Look, if you would just wear the little shorts I might come home earlier !!!!!