Man uses his stolen MacBook to find his stolen MacBook

Having something precious to you stolen is pretty terrible. It's even worse when that item is something as important as your computer; getting hacked is bad enough, but having your computer stolen can impact your ability to connect with friends and family or even do your job.

But when designer Joshua Kaufman's MacBook was stolen from his Oakland, CA, apartment in March, he didn't panic. He simply activated an app called Hidden, which he had installed a few months earlier. This app runs quietly and unobtrusively in the background when your laptop is stolen, surreptitiously taking pictures with the computer's webcam, getting screenshots of the computer in use, and even locating it anywhere on the planet. The Hidden team then works with your local law enforcement to help you get your computer back.

So when the Oakland police department initially told Kaufman that they didn't have the resources to help him, despite having pictures of the perpetrator, Kaufman set up a Tumblr account called ThisGuyHasMyMacBook and posted the thief's pictures online. Finally, on May 31st, the police were able to use the information gleaned by Hidden to track down and catch the thief, who was arrested at 8:37 PM.

If you've been trying to decide if Hidden or one of the other gadget tracking services is worth it, this success story might just be what it takes to help you make that decision!

ThisGuyHasMyMacBook via Mashable

Post by Katherine Gray

More from Tecca:

• What to do when your password has been stolen

• Keep your Apple computer safe from Mac Defender malware

• 5 worst digital security breaches of all time