Return To Summer 1996 Index
Return To Summer 1996 Index
One of our customers called the other day. Three computers had been stolen from their high street office overnight; did we have the serial numbers?
Only one of these had come from us. Because we are pedantic about keeping serial number records we were able to oblige. If they had wanted, we could have told them who we bought it from, the date it arrived, the supplier's delivery note number, our order number, and whether the delivery man was called John! (see my other article)
They had more trouble with the other one's, making the police and insurance company's work more difficult.
Moral: If you are buying computer kit, find out whether the supplier records serial number information; if not, make sure that you keep it in a safe place - along with credit card numbers and so on.
The computer above was not one we had made. It was a well known make that we occasionally supply to certain customers who like them. None of our Zeta computers has ever been stolen. Why not? There is something a bit degrading when not even burglars will take our computers. Perhaps they read too many warehouse adverts.
Statistically therefore we can now report that if you buy the certain well known make their is a 20% chance that it will be nicked. If you buy our Zeta computers, none will ever be stolen. - well maybe!
This subject is very puzzling. The computers stolen were quite old. #486SX25s# one a 2-66. If somebody offered me an #SX25# computer in a pub (This is how it's done - watch The Bill), I wouldn't be prepared to offer more than £50, not knowing if it was working properly.
If offered SIMM's or Processors, I wouldn't touch them - shouldn't think burglars use earthing straps before tearing these bits out; so they will probably have some static damage if not completely dead.
Then there is the depreciation factor. SIMM's and processors now cost only 25% of what they did a year ago. So unless the burglar can sell to his fence very quickly, he will be sitting on rapidly depreciating stock. And, of course, not doing tax returns, he can't charge depreciation against business profits. A computer burglar's lot is not a happy one!
There must be loads of stolen computer kit around that is un-sellable.
So why do they keep on doing it? I must have it all wrong!