Student laptops get software protection

Students in Leeds are being provided with a “hi-tech” tool to help police recover stolen laptop computers in the ongoing fight against crime.

Last year more than 1,500 laptops were stolen in north west Leeds – with more than two-thirds of these being taken from student homes.

A pilot scheme, launched last December, saw the software installed on about 500 laptops.

Since the start of the new university term last month, West Yorkshire police have carried out a further 500 installations.

Officers say that areas with large student populations – such as Woodhouse, Hyde Park and Headingley in Leeds – are frequently targeted because criminals regard the shared homes and their contents as easy pickings.

But the technology means that once the police have been alerted to missing laptops, hi-tech measures can then be used to pinpoint the exact location of the stolen machines.

Officers say that using the software has already led to some stolen laptops being recovered with people being arrested and charged as a consequence.

As well as helping to catch criminals, the police say the software also means students have more chance of getting back coursework and other valuable information stored on their machines.

Detective Chief Inspector Andy Williams. divisional crime manager for North West Leeds, said: “It’s no secret that student homes in the areas around the universities can be a target for burglars.

“Criminals know that shared living means there are likely to be several laptops and other expensive items within.

He added: “We are determined to keep doing all we can to stop the burglars and to prevent people becoming victims – and the use of the tracking software is a valuable contribution to that work.”

Funding for the project came from the Home Office, through Safer Leeds, and is part of a wider 84,000 project that is using new technology to help catch offenders.