Where is the serial number on a MacBook Pro? I don't know mine because I didn't buy the machine, it was a gift from my son -- I don't have a receipt.

In System Profiler: Hardware Overview, and in the battery well. There may also be third location inside of the Mac's casing.
Link to Apple KB document.

Merci beaucoup.

Most people have several devices such as phones and mp3 players that can store data. My advice is to back up sensitive info on another device. For example, put the computer serial numbers on your ipod and put the phone serial number on your computer. Unless, you are completely wiped out, you will be better able to retrieve the information.

The old pencil and paper still work well the last time I looked. File it away since people are less likely to steal paper.

Well, it's all good and well, I have all my data backed-up automatically to my xserve. I heavily use encrypted files on my MacBook just to make sure that personal data won't fall into strange hands in case MacBook gonna get stolen.

Just recently I installed a tracing software on it as well in hope that whoever steals my travel workhorse is stupid enough and that software works.

I heard of a solution that involves SSHing into your stolen computer (somehow) and getting the IP address that way.

You would need the IP to ssh into it in the first place because I doubt you could resolve a client machine by DNS.

You may want to look into low jack or something like that, or another application that "phones home" every once in a while so if it gets stolen you can see the IP when it phones home.

Low Jack ain't cheap, however -- $39/year.

$39 for one year? That is like less than 5 bucks per a month. I would say that is pretty cheap for that service.

Sure, but what does insurance cost, discounted by their recovery rate.

Doesn't low jack actually pay you back your investment if they are unable to retrieve your laptop? I thought I had read that some where, so it is basically an insurance program.

Just thought I'd drop my hat into this since my MacBook Pro was stolen in July 2007.

At least stateside, your best bet is getting it covered under homeowner's insurance, if you have it. I've never tried LoJack, and iAlertU never got a chance to work because the computer was off, and the thief never managed to get past my password. (They could have started up in Vista, but they were probably too stupid to do so)

I tried calling Apple, and they pretty much shrugged their shoulders at me and told me there was nothing they could do. This is Apple America, though, so you may have better luck with your regional Apple support.

EDIT: I would think LoJack would be screwed if it required you to login to your computer in order for it to work. Am I right?

How 'bout this: http://www.mark-up.com/store/MacBook-Call-Home/ gets your Serial Number, make your Mac call home and free!

I use a higher end (corporate version) of low jack and I can tell you right now, if there is network connectivity it phones home once a day, records all kinds of stuff and yes we have used it to recover stolen laptops. Low jack is their consumer level product of the same thing we use.

It is a root level daemon, so you would have to have admin rights to the machine or wipe out the HD completely. I am going to say that most common thieves probably don't know how to do either, and if you put a firmware lock on it that is just more of a deterrent.

Of course there is no stopping a slightly educated thief from wiping all that stuff off and reloading OS X.

This sounds normal. If someone steals a car, the victim doesn't run back to the car dealership for help with the VIN number, or if someone steals a diamond ring the victim doesn't go to the jeweler for help. It's a matter involving law enforcement and the insurance company. Same with Macs. If Apple did get involved with these things it would be a highly unusual practice.

If you have stolen Mac and its serial number - report it here:
http://www.mark-up.com/stolen/report-apple-stolen.htm

I don't know how comfortable I'd be entering my details into a database on a site who's main page is about making money on the internet. Call me suspicious.

I'm sorry, but that site looks very untrustworthy.

I know that the corporate version of low jack works like this:

We install their package, it is a root level daemon that launches at boot up every time and whenever there is an internet connection it "phones home" and captures data. That data is then uploaded to their servers and we can view it. It lists the local IP, the WAN IP, and does a whois look up for us automatically. We can then submit this information to that local police department and they will either subpoena the ISP for the user's address or the ISP will just comply depending on their relationship with the local police department. A police report must also be filed as well, so everything is legal.

Last year we had 22 laptops stolen, and we recovered 21 of them this way. 1 was gone and our insurance program paid for it.

We can also remotely blow out a HD with it too, to render the machine useless or destroy any sensitive data that may be on it.

If low jack is anything like their corporate version then it is a pretty good product.

This thread is good food for thought.

I was approached by a client two weeks ago to assist with installing Leopard onto a MacBook. He claimed that it was a gift from a friend, but he didn't have any passwords, discs, etc. I strongly suspected that it was stolen, but I had no way to verify.

Is there a central database that's being widely used for posting serial numbers of stolen Macs/PCs?
How much hassle would it be to ask the police in his city (somewhere in England) for reported serial numbers of stolen Macs?