Record your laptop details now

The best time to prepare is before anything happens. When you buy a laptop, write down the serial number and, if possible, the MAC address, along with the make, model, color, and any distinctive marks. This information helps law enforcement if your laptop is ever stolen, and it speeds up the report by an enormous amount. Keep a copy somewhere that is not on the laptop itself, like a notes app on your phone or a printout in a drawer.

What to record

• Serial number. On Apple laptops, find it in System Settings, About this Mac, or printed on the underside of the device. On Windows laptops, it is usually on a sticker underneath.
• MAC address. Wi-fi and Ethernet MAC addresses can be looked up in network settings.
• Make and model. For example, MacBook Pro 14-inch 2023, M2 Pro, Space Gray.
• Distinguishing marks. Stickers, scratches, engraving, a chipped corner. The more specific, the better.

If your laptop is stolen

Move quickly but methodically.

• Report it to local law enforcement. Make sure the serial number, MAC address, and any distinguishing marks are in the report. This makes it possible for agencies to search the national crime database for matches, including against purchase logs generated at shops like Computers for Change.
• Use Find My or built-in tracking. If you set up Find My on your Mac or have a Windows tracking tool linked, check it. You can sometimes mark a device lost or wipe it remotely.
• Change important passwords. Email, bank, and any account that auto-signs in on the laptop. Two-factor authentication helps a lot here.
• Contact your insurance. Homeowners or renters insurance often covers stolen electronics. Your report number speeds the claim.
• Tell your bank. If financial logins were stored on the laptop, give them a heads-up.

Local law enforcement

• UVM Police Services: (802) 656-3473
• Burlington Police Department: (802) 658-2704
• South Burlington Police Department: (802) 846-4111
• Vermont State Police, Williston Barracks: (802) 878-7111

How shops help with recovery

When someone tries to sell a stolen laptop to a reputable shop, the shop typically records buyer information, serial numbers, and dates. That information is searchable by law enforcement. The faster your report goes in with full details, the better the chances that a sale gets flagged.

Selling or trading a device with us? We record purchase information, which can help if a stolen device ever turns up. Visit our sell or trade page to learn more.

Prevention

• Never leave a laptop visible in a car, even for a few minutes.
• Use a strong login password and enable disk encryption (FileVault on Mac, BitLocker on Windows).
• Enable Find My on Mac, Find My Device on Windows.
• In coffee shops and libraries, do not leave the laptop unattended even briefly.
• Consider a tracker like Apple AirTag tucked in a laptop sleeve as a backup recovery option.