<p>How can I protect my personal belongings, especially stuff like laptops, in my dorm?</p>
<p>How do most people do it?</p>
<p>I use a laptop lock for my laptop, and a small lockbox that wraps around the foot of my bed (can’t find a picture of it, sorry) for smaller stuff. Everything else comes down to keeping your door locked when no one’s in and keeping an eye on your stuff when you’re out and about.</p>
<p>Keep the door on your room locked and make sure if you leave your stuff anywhere that someone you trust is there to watch it…</p>
<p>My school is rather safe…</p>
<p>“I love Longwood. There’s no other school where I’d leave my phone on the table.” <-What I heard an upperclassman say last week in the dining hall</p>
<p>Forgot to add: protect them from being stolen!</p>
<p>I have to protect: a laptop; an ebook reader; and a smartphone. I still shudder to think that I’ll have them stolen once I enter dorm life.</p>
<p>I’m wondering whether an effective means of precluding my roommate(s) from stealing my stuff would be to do a preemptive strike: prove to them that I can steal theirs first…</p>
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<p>You’re joking, right?</p>
<p>Does your school have a history of theft in the dorms? I never had anything stolen when I lived in the dorms, and I’ve never heard of anyone having something stolen either. Keeping expensive things out of sight and your dorm room locked (make sure your roommate locks the door as well) is generally good enough to keep everything safe in your dorm room. If you’re particularly concerned, you can do as someone above you posted and buy a lock for your laptop and a small safe that you can attach to your desk or bed or something. That really only protects against thefts of convenience, though, since someone could cut the lock or something.</p>
<p>If you’re overly concerned about your roommate stealing your stuff, perhaps you should look into getting a single room.</p>
<p>I got a lockable trunk that can hold many things. </p>
<p>However I don’t put anything but food in there (for storage). I only use it if I’m away too long.</p>
<p>If you’re worry about your roommate stealing stuffs… Well a shirt or a cup won’t matter but I doubt they would take a laptop or other expensive belonging.</p>
<p>I had multiple three hour classes with 2 ten minute breaks. I find it mildly entertaining that some students would leave their laptops in the room while they go to the bathroom, or the vending machines, or call their significant others to make sure that they are not cheating even though they could be while on the phone. </p>
<p>I think I have a close to full-proof security system for my laptop. I used to carry it around everywhere during the breaks. Now I have several anti-theft systems in place:</p>
<p>I. GPS Tracking via LoJack for laptops
With this I can remotely lock my computer and even wipe it clean if it falls in enemy hands. I wouldn’t want rivals getting all my information. I can also phone LoJack and they will get the police to recover the laptop for me.</p>
<p>II. Physical GPS Tracking Device in Motherboard
If I don’t want to deal with the police or Lojack and want to do my own dirty work, I will activate my own GPS device in the computer and get it back when the criminal is most vulnerable. I even equipped a remote microphone into my laptop and I can remotely access the built-in webcam</p>
<p>III. 100 Decibel Motion-Sensing Cable Alarm
If the alarm is moved or senses motion and the code isn’t inputted in 5 seconds, a 100 decibel alarm will sound. The alarm will also sound if the cable is cut.</p>
<p>IV. AC Power Alarm
This one is tricky, if the ac power cord is disconnected, or if the battery is removed, or if the computer experiences an attempted shutdown, a custom alarm will sound until a user password is inputted. I set up the sound file of the alarm to be a voice recording of my own warning the criminal of what he is doing and my response.</p>
<p>V. I’ve started contracting people to watch my laptop strategically around the room perimeter. They won’t know what hit them.</p>
<p>There are a variety of other gadgets to aid in self defense that most universities allow, including pepper spray.</p>
<p>Some pepper sprays are better than others, I have one that shoots a stream of hot pepper spray 25 feet with a sight to make my aim more accurate. There are some pens made of anodized aircraft aluminum that can fracture bones. But any stainless steel pen can aid in self defense.</p>
<p>You can engage in psychological warfare, such as wearing mirrored sunglasses when outside to conceal which direction you are looking at and help mask your expression.</p>
<p>At night, you can get infrared cameras to track heat signatures and scope out dark areas for people before going forward.</p>
<p>There are pens, watches, glasses, and a variety of other objects that can covertly record video and audio.</p>
<p>There are 150 decibel alarms you could also use that emit a pulse that jams any transmitting tracking or bugging devices in your proximity. Silent mode included.</p>
<p>If you get some background info on the perp, there are former law enforcement and military veterans working as private eyes in the area that can make the perp shut up if you pay for their services.</p>
<p>You can also get a bulletproof briefcase or roll-out backpack. </p>
<p>Another option is a door brace or a mobile fire escape ladder, some of them are 50 feet or longer.</p>
<p>^ Please please please tell me you are joking.</p>
<p>I don’t really have any protection for my stuff. I just kinda trust that my roommate (or her friends) won’t steal them if I leave them in my room. And I do leave my door unlocked if I’m in the bathroom or common room 'cause I don’t wanna have to bother bringing my keys. I hope to God none of you know where I live 'cause it seriously sounds like I’m putting myself up for being stolen from. But my school doesn’t have a lot of crime and it’s a nice school. I think you should worry if you go to like a big state school or the ones that are known to have some very suspicious people (but to be fair, every school has those kinds of people I think).</p>
<p>I purchased dorm insurance for my son- CSI (College Student Insurance)- its pretty cheap and covers stolen and damaged computers, etc. It also covers just about all his belongings. The deductible I chose was $25, and I believe the yearly premium was $111.</p>
<p>After the very FIRST post I knew TINS would be here. Hi stranger :). How’s it been? </p>
<p>Four years, never any protection. I either took it with me or left it locked in my room. Honestly, most stuff gets stolen when you leave the door unlocked. Don’t do that and you should be good.</p>
<p>When I was in a single, valuables (large sum of cash [was abroad]) would be in a safe hiding spot only I could access such as a safe or deep in my closet. Always left the door locked and kept my key with me to ensure never being locked out. </p>
<p>When I had a roommate, I avoided bringing super valuables or kept anything valuable with me at all times (such as my ring – very expensive gift from my mom that never left my hands). I trusted my roommate with things such as my laptop. Kept my phone with me 99% of the time. It wouldn’t make sense for her to steal mine since she had a better one anyway LOL. We both kept the door locked at all times and again, key always with us. Never had a problem with my roommates stealing things, honestly. When our hall had meetings about stolen goods, usually the girls would say that they left to go somewhere “real quickly” with the door unlocked. So yeah, take that.</p>