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Mark Bao, from his Twitter profile
UPDATE: Mark Bao lets us know what happened to the thief. Details below in bold.
We've told you about thieves that post pictures of themselves on Facebook, using and flashing the stolen goods. We've told you about bungling burglars who have left their charging cellphones behind, caught in the act of pilfering other people's property. And now we present you with another addition to the list of wish-they-were-smarter-criminals-but-funnier-that-they're-not: a young man who preyed on a Massachusetts college student, used his victim's MacBook Air to take a picture of himself and record a video, the latter accessed by the computer-savvy victim and posted online.
The victim, Mark Bao, is not your typical 18-year-old. He's the kind of guy with the kind of scary know-how it takes to exact sweet revenge, to the delight of Twitter followers everywhere and anyone who's ever been violated by thievery.
This is what Bao did, about two months after the theft: using BackBlaze, an automated backup syncing service, he found an access point into his missing MacBook Air since any changes made on the computer were also reflected in the cloud. Bao now had a way into his hard drive, and browser history.
Here's what he found: the thief took a photo of himself using Photo Booth (reflected in Bao's tweet: "Wow. The first thing that MacBook thieves do REALLY IS take pictures on Photo Booth. I didn't think they were that dumb!") and the pièce de résistance, a video of the perp trying to pop-and-lock to a remix of Tyga's "Make it Rain." Bao posted it on YouTube and announced it on his Twitter stream ("The video is up! This is the dude who stole my MacBook Air a few months ago.) and we also have to share it with you now because this criminal really does "act the fool":
Mark Bao's laptop thief dancing
Bao traced the thief back to his Facebook page using the browser history, so now he's got the guy's name. Based on 9 mutual friends, he thought that the thief was another student who lives in the same building at Bentley University. He tweeted: "he goes to my school! a few floors down from my dorm." Turns out, he was wrong.
Currently on spring break, Bao doesn't seem like he's in any hurry to bust this guy, having already replaced the laptop almost immediately (according to his Twitter stream). He does say he plans to report this to the police and campus police once he's back at school. Another tweet reveals possibly more retribution is coming: "And yes, I have thief guy's Facebook and everything. I'm too busy to stage any serious lulz, but don't worry... lulz will certainly happen."
(According to Encyclopaedia Dramatica, lulz is "laughter at someone else's expense." Too late, we're already there!)
We don't doubt Bao will follow through. This is a young man who seems to know what he wants, and how to do it.
According to his online profile, Bao is an entrepreneur and founder of two nonprofits: The Genevine Foundation, which aims to fights homelessness and poverty; and The Center for Ethical Business. Barely voting age, he's already founded no less than four startups, which can make a person (ok, me!) think, what the heck am I doing with my life?
Here's his tagline, if there's any doubt as to his intention to be a mover and shaker: "I move fast. I'm ambitious. I'm out to make change."
Now that the tide is turning on the hapless thief (who still is unaware he's been found out), change is going to come real fast, for him, at least.
UPDATE: Bao emailed us and told us the thief turned in the laptop this morning.
I think he found out, or the police did something like call him. I'm not exactly sure what happened, but he Facebook messaged me this morning telling me that he dropped it off.
There's definitely going to be some kind of consequence for the theft. I have neither the time nor the patience to press charges, so I'm not going to go that route. I'm leaving it up to the police/state to judge the consequences. The courts have more important things to deal with.
He also shared these takeaways from this experience.
Learned that there are some people out there that just aren't nice. Reality check :(
I was lucky that I had a way to find out who stole it. There's not a lot of options for people since most thieves wipe drives before using them... there are some great apps like Undercover (for Mac) and Prey (for all platforms) that let you find lost computers. And the way I got into my files was using a cloud backup solution called Backblaze.
As for the laptop, Bao intends to sell it, with proceeds going to the Red Cross Japan fund.
More crime stories:
- Burglar who posted on victim's Facebook pleads guilty
- Serial burglar finally caught ... because he forgot his cellphone
- Computer thief copies data, returns to victim
Check out Technolog on Facebook, and on Twitter, follow Athima Chansanchai, who would totally tap the services of a Mark Bao if her laptop were ever stolen.
Leave a Comment:
Go get him and make him hurt.
In the extreme! IDIOT!!
I agree make the thief pay, turn the sob into the police.
I second the motion! Let him contemplate his actions while dealing with a criminal record.
Better get inoculated buddy, cause this one is going viral. Such a nice clear video of the thief, you can even see the Douche Bag facial hair cut and everything. Shamed for all eternity on YouTube. I love it.
For those interested, the thief turned the laptop in and apologized to the owner. The video apparently isn't coming down, however. I tried to post a link to another news source with the update, but this site isn't allowing it. A site called "thenextweb" dot com has the full, updated article.
It doesn't take a tech savant to do things like this. I don't doubt this guy is very knowledgeable, but this isn't anything special except for the particularly dumb criminal who didn't wipe the hard drive as soon as he got it.
This is nothing new... The presentation at DefCon and Black Hat was much better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4oB28ksiIo
He stole a MacBook people! Isn't being in possession of a Mac punishment enough for anyone??/
Only if it is running windows.
If the victim doesn't press charges, then no action against the thief will be prosecuted.
Which means the victim is just as stupid as the thief who stole the material.
The victim, i'm sorry to say ladies and gentleman, is just as moronic as the thief. He doesn't have "time" to report the theft? If he HAD reported the damn thief, the police would have gone in with a warrant, and possibly found OTHER material that was stolen. But since the victim isn't going to press charges, it is NOT up to the state or the police to arrest anyone.
Seriously, I can't say it enough, the victim of the theft is just as stupid, if not MORE stupid than the thief himself.
Was the victim going to BLACKMAIL the thief? There's no common excuse not to press charges. None. That's like saying, Oh I was raped, but i'm not going to report because I don't have the "time". Or, Oh geeze i've been shot and have physical proof of who did it, but i'm not going to tell anyone.
"Oh something was stolen from me, but I don't have the time to report it, because i'm to funny, because like, I have to post it online...heeheehee lulz lulz lulz."
Seriously, wtf?
Exactly. If the victim has the time to screw around with the thief online, then he has the time to report the theft and press charges. It's not personal; just what you do when a crime has been committed against you.
I agree that the victim is an idiot too, but they don't need him to "press charges", although it helps if he cooperates..
And the victim is wrong too when he says that the courts have better things to do. No, they don't. This is precisely what courts are for. Sic 'em, fang!
@Kevin C: yes, they actually do have to have the moron press charges. The specific crime of theft requires the victim to file charges with the prosecutor's office. The police will not arrest the thief to protect the public good. No victim, no crime.
Very dissapointed that the victim is not pressing charges. You just let a thief go. Doesn't make any sense. Now this guy is just going to victimize others without any consequences. In a way the victim is just as liable for allowing this criminal off. You do society no good when you don't press charges. You want to do some good for society, you need to press charges and not let this guy off so easily.
Though he may never be charged, something like this can follow the thief forever...good luck ever getting a job that matters. He might want to practice his 'skilz' for a job at MickyD's, I see orders of french-fries in his future. I'll have mine super-sized, and will want to count the change I get back....
Yes maybe if he spent less time on Twitter he'd have the time to file the complaint. He does a lot of good with the Non-profit but it didn't make him smart to see getting a criminal off the streets is also just as important. Because the next victim might not be so lucky.
To heck with the law -- those who recognize him can just stomp on his thieving hands a bit.. that should do it
The victim has to come to court and testify under oath that he didn't give the "idiot" permission to take his laptop. Otherwise the law can't touch him. However, the public humiliation can continue...
If the victim is so concerned about the world then he should do his civic duty and follow through with prosecuting this idiot so he can't do this to anyone else without harsher consequences.
For someone so smart, how'd he let his laptop get stolen? A cable lock's less than $10.
This is an amazingly stupid story. Bao takes extraordinary steps to track down the thief, hacking into his own stolen computer, remotely accessing the hardrive, locating the perpetrator's Facebook site, obtaining photos/video of the alleged thief, then says he doesn't have time or paitence to waste pressing charges? How hard is it in Massachusetts to file a police report?
Something sounds fishy.
He states he's leaving it up to the "state/police to determine the consequences"... He seems totally clueless as to the judicial system here in the US, perhaps thinking that the Police will simply give this their a beat down, as might happen in some third world country. I suspect there's more to this story that the vapid and lazy reporter failed to discern...
John, it might seem like Bao takes extraordinary steps to someone like us ( I know I could never do the stuff he did), but to some people like him, it's probably really easy and doesn't take that long if they know what they're doing. I had an IPod stolen from me once, my only option was to file a police report but I know I will never see it again. Only in hindsight I know I should've gotten an app that shows where it is at if it's lost.
The victim sounds like he is afraid of the thief. why else would he not press charges. listen up little guy, take your tail out from between your legs and press charges. MAN UP!!!
Please have that turd busted.