Lost or Stolen Bowdoin Devices

Questions

• My Bowdoin laptop was stolen. What do I do?
• I lost my Bowdoin iPad. Who do I contact?
• My MacBook is missing. Can I track it?
• Can I use Find My to locate my Bowdoin iPad or make it play a sound?
• Someone stole my laptop off campus. Do I need a police report?
• My device was stolen on campus. Who do I call?
• Will Bowdoin replace my lost or stolen laptop?
• Can I get a loaner while my device is missing?
• I am a student and lost my Bowdoin laptop. Can I get a replacement?
• My work laptop was stolen. Will I get a new one?
• Will my lost device be locked so no one can get into it?
• Will I lose my files if my laptop is stolen?

Environment

If your Bowdoin-owned device is lost or stolen, contact Bowdoin Information Technology (IT) as soon as you know it is missing. IT will remotely lock the device to protect your data, and what happens next depends on whether you are a student or a faculty or staff member.

This article is for Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff whose Bowdoin-owned device, such as a laptop or iPad, is lost or stolen. A lost or stolen device carries a real risk of someone reaching your data, which is why contacting IT quickly matters.

• Covered here: Bowdoin-owned devices that are missing, whether lost or stolen, on campus or off.
• Not covered here: A device that is damaged or broken but still in your hands. For that, see Damaged or Broken Bowdoin Equipment in the Related Articles section.
• Personal devices: Bowdoin IT does not track or replace personal devices, but you should still protect your Bowdoin accounts. See Sign Out of All Devices and Protect Your Account if Your Device Is Lost or Compromised in the Related Articles section.

Resolution

Contact IT as soon as you notice your device is missing

The moment you know your Bowdoin device is lost or stolen, contact Bowdoin IT. Speed matters because a missing device can put your data at risk, not just the hardware. Once you report it, IT will remotely lock the device so that no one can get into it and your data stays secure. The longer a missing device goes unreported, the more time someone has to reach what is on it.

Report a stolen device to Safety and Security or the police

If your device was stolen, you need to file a report, and Bowdoin IT needs a copy of the police report before moving forward. Where you report depends on where the theft happened:

• On campus: Contact Bowdoin Safety and Security at 207-725-3500.
• Off campus: Contact the local police department for the area where the device was stolen.

A device that is simply lost, not stolen, still needs to be reported to Bowdoin IT right away so it can be locked. If a lost device turns out to have been taken, report it to Safety and Security or the police as a theft as well.

Locate an Apple device with Find My (students)

If you are a student and you set up Find My on your Bowdoin iPad or laptop, you may be able to see the device's location before or after you contact IT. Find My can also play a sound on an iPad, which helps when the device is nearby but out of sight. Using Find My does not replace contacting IT. Report the device as missing either way, so IT can lock it and protect your data.

If you are a student: loaner and replacement

Students receive one Bowdoin device and are expected to take care of it, so a lost or stolen student device is not replaced with a new one. You are eligible for a loaner during the academic year while you sort things out. That loaner stays at Bowdoin: you cannot take it home over summer break unless you are using it for research, and you do not keep it when you graduate.

If you are faculty or staff: loaner and replacement

For faculty and staff, a replacement device may be provided after a lost or stolen device is reported. Because purchasing a replacement takes time, IT may provide a temporary loaner to use while the new device is on order. Contact IT as soon as the device goes missing so this can start, and, if it was stolen, have your police report ready for IT.

Make sure your backups are working so you do not lose your files

A lost or stolen device is gone, and anything saved only on that device goes with it. If your files are backed up, they can be restored to a replacement or loaner. Faculty and staff laptops and desktops back up through Druva inSync, and files saved in OneDrive are stored in the cloud for everyone. Check now, before anything happens, that your OneDrive is syncing and, for faculty and staff, that Druva inSync is backing up. For details on endpoint backup, see Understand Druva inSync Endpoint Backup at Bowdoin in the Related Articles section.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

• Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
• Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
• In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
• Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.