Some Wary of Local University's Anti-Theft Computer Program

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by Fox Charlotte

Story Created: Aug 29, 2011 at 11:15 PM EDT

Story Updated: Aug 29, 2011 at 11:15 PM EDT

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Winthrop University grad student Stephanie Custer's laptop is crucial to her day to day work.  If her computer was stolen, it would set Custer back not only financially but academically. 

A new campus program aimed at protecting computers from theft makes sense to her.  Custer says, "I thought it was a great idea."

Operation Computer or Lap Top Anti-theft Watch or "CLAW" is a free computer download for students, staff and faculty.  Freshman Jayvon Fludd says, "I think it's a pretty good system."  And Freshman Karina Perez says, "I mean, it's free, so that's the best thing.  You get free protection and all that stuff, yeah, I'd download it."

The program was developed over the summer when police noticed a spike in lap top theft at the end of the last semester.  They say they're not keeping track of how many people download the program.  They'll only know you have it if you tell them.

Winthrop University Police Officer Charles Yearta says, "We've gotten nothing but rave reviews about the idea."

Not everyone is raving.  Senior Catherine Zende says, "There's really a lot of hesitation about signing up for a program that could potentially track your every move."  CLAW collects IP addresses and sends them to the campus police so they can pinpoint the location of your computer.  "It'll also gather occasionally what that person is doing on the computer at that time, it'll let us know.  Depending on the computer, it may also gather a picture for us," says Yearta.  But he stresses that only the owner of the computer can activate the tracking software.  "We have no way of getting on their computer at all," he says.     

That's enough to put students like Zende at ease.  She says, "It actually sounds like a really good program.  I think I'm gonna sign up for it when I get off work."

Yearta says the real litmus test for this new program will be the first time it successfully locates a stolen computer and helps the police prosecute the case.  We're told UNC-Charlotte has a similar program.
 

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