Stolen Laptop. Advice appreciated.

A few weeks ago I bought a laptop from a friend who claimed he got it as a gift. Recently, he tells me it was stolen.

Info:
+It was stolen from a big name electrical store.
+It was one of the display laptops that you play around in the store.
+The charger wasn't stolen along with it.
+Its meant to have Vista but has XP installed.

Now, im not one to rat my mates in, so im wondering:
1. How safe I am using it to connect to the internet and just general stuff?
2. Is there anything I can do to make it untraceable or whatever?
3. I wouldn't mind selling it to get my cash back either if that would be an option?

If its in my best interest ill give it back to him, Im not to worried about $150

 

It's not traceable. You don't have anything to worry about.

 

Keep it, it's yours. What he does won't get you in trouble and if some odd reason cops show up at your door just say you bought it and didn't know it was stolen. You shouldn't be worried at all.

 

If I was in your position, I would march that laptop right back to him/her and demand my money back, but that's just me. If your worried about the store tracing the computer back to your house, then don't because it won't happen.

 

They shouldn't be able to trace the laptop. Usually store laptops are only just factory sealed laptops that have been opened, loaded with a cd to show the demo or whatever and then connect via a security cable to wall or table. That cable is the only thing protecting the laptop from being stolen. Sometimes though in many stores they write in ultraviolet pen either in the battery compartment when the battery has been removed or on the underside of the laptop. Give it a check with an ultra-violet light to see if it has a code written on

 

Thanks encore Ill check.

 

They wouldnt march in yur house for a laptop. They got other things to worry about.

 

They would if they could track it back to him.

 

As mu-b said it is untraceable. They can't connect ur ISP and the I.P to your computer. The store probobly doesn't care about it anyway because as you said they are big.

 

I believed that if you watched cable court episodes , there was an episode about an college student selling a laptop on Craigslist. The lady who bought it didn't know that it was stolen after she bouht it. She was demanded to return the laptop. But since the " seller " bought it from someone eles , don't know where he bought it , don't know the guy . Basicly what i'm trying to say is that since you bought it , keep it . Keep it until the police comes to your house and say that you bought it from someone eles. He would have to pay you back full money =-]

 

The dude is banned. Close this thread please.