Security stickers conceal the issue

Flynn Daunt
Science & Technology Editor
It took the crack security-tag-removing team we have on staff here at Excalibur less than five minutes to remove the new security tags provided by Scott Library.

The tags, which are supposedly going not only to deter potential thieves but also provide a way of tracking your stolen netbooks and electronics, consist of one easy-to-remove sticker and one metal tag glued to the electronic with a hard-to-remove resin.
Underneath the metal tag is a red tag that is supposedly permanently tattooed onto the plastic of your electronic device. We tested this out on a Xbox 360, and later a netbook. With only the back of a claw hammer and a screwdriver (and one minor injury) we were able to remove all traces of the security tag without trouble – and we’re only casual criminals! My colleague Mike Sholars, who wishes to remain anonymous, assures me that with the right tools, these tags could be removed much quicker and easier.
As for tracking, there is a simple bar code that could be scanned to find out who the owner is. I guess it would be of some assistance if someone found the stolen device intact or unsold to someone who only notices the large stickers after they bought the marked electronic from a van in a dark alley.
But besides leaving a scratch where the tattoo would be, there really would be no reason to suspect that the laptop you bought was stolen.
So what you are buying is not really something that would deter professional criminals; you are simply buying some sort of peace of mind, and the library is selling you the illusion of protection. They are not different from most security systems; however, if a robber wanted to break in to your house without setting off the alarm, they could.
The library could have installed some sort of advanced GPS system to track your laptops, sure, but that would not only cost quite a bit, it’d just as useless as the alternative. Any security system can be broken.
While laptops and devices can be stolen anywhere in Toronto, York is a hotbed of students out with their laptops or mp3 players, wistfully engaged in studies or entertainment. It is a concentrated consortium of thievable items. It is a Mecca for thieves and robbers.
I can’t help but think this is another distraction from the major issue of security at York, where an undermanned and mostly powerless security force does little to prevent property from being stolen.
For now, it is hard to really blame the victims. Yes, one can say they should be vigilant and aware at all times, but that’s asking someone to live in paranoia and fear; it’s unreasonable. Security at York is an ongoing issue that goes beyond just laptops being stolen.
Really, the only option here is some sort of man-machine security.
Perhaps some sort of “robotic cop,” if you will.
Illustration by Natalie Livshitz