Probably not.

Do you even consider the extreme probability that your laptop will be stolen? The answer, for most people, is a resounding “nope.” Who has time to think about this stuff?

The statistics about the risk are abundantly clear (3 million annual thefts, one every 12 seconds or less, massive damage, etc.). But equally clear is that most people–an overwhelming majority of individuals and businesses (sadly)–really do believe that laptop theft happens to “somebody else.” It never happens to “me.”

What’s clearest of all is that most people don’t think about the issue at all. Period. They think about dinner tonight, or the quarterly sales figures that are due, or the bad economy, or the leads to follow up, or the employees to manage, or the score of last night’s game, or whether my beloved Colorado Avalanche will even make the NHL playoffs this year. (OK, most people don’t think about the Avs). People have plenty to do and plenty on their minds, and this kind of thinking certainly includes businesses–businesses that have a duty, an obligation, and a certainly vested interest in protecting their property. Even with the need to protect their property, including their data property, most businesses put it on the back burner, and thousands upon thousands of them pay an enormous price. After all, laptop theft happens to other businesses, not mine, right? The sheer magnitude of the damage from a single laptop theft is what makes this issue so important.

What to do?

Honestly, think like a thief. But since most people don’t make a habit of stealing things, that might be a bit alien.

What else to do?

Simple. Assume your laptop will be stolen. It really doesn’t take that much mental power–you can focus on the more important parts of your day. But just assume your laptop is a huge “mark” for somebody and it’ll be targeted.

Do that, and you’re way ahead of the curve. Your basic common sense will put you in a much safer place. People who assume their laptops are targets don’t walk off and leave them unattended. They don’t leave them sitting in plain view inside a parked car. They pay particular attention in airports.

Sure, they also employ extremely effective measures like MyLaptopGPS. After all, a 0.4 Percent Theft Rate (0.004) is hard to ignore. But just thinking like a thief, or assuming that a thief is thinking about you, is a very, very good start.