Sticker warning

There’s been a rash of thefts of Macs and Apple products lately, particularly from parked cars. Some friends of mine have lost Powerbooks (left stupidly in the car’s back seat in plain sight) while buying burgers, and others have had their windows bashed in to get an iPod visibly mounted on the dash (another stupid practice in this day and age) while they’re off watching a movie.

Oddly enough, a lot of vehicle break-ins have occurred even when the desirable item is totally hidden out of sight, like a Macbook under the seat in a bag, or in the boot, or an iPod in the glove compartment. Now how in heaven’s name would a thief sniff out that a vehicle has some Apple valuable in it? Are they psychic?

Simple.

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s that Apple sticker on the window.

Thieves have wised up, and the ubiquitous complimentary white Apple sticker that comes with every boxed purchase isn’t always a good thing. If you stick it up, they stick you up.

As a consequence and symptom of the Halo effect, these stickers are popping up like white mushrooms on vehicle windshields all over, and has become a screaming invitation for malcontents to stomp on the glass and check if there’s something nice and juicy like an iPod Touch somewhere inside your new car.

So just a friendly warning and safety reminder from your Friendly Neighborhood MacADoodler. If you value your Apple stuff (or at least the expensive safety glass of your car), don’t flaunt that sticker. Stick it up on a more discrete surface, like the inside of the door of your room, on your bathroom mirror or something less public.

We all know you have a Mac or an iPod. No need to announce it to the world. Stay cool and lay low.

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