I would go round to his old address
and see if he's left a forwarding address, failing that try next of kin if you have their details? It's entirely possible that he just doesn't realise you've been trying to get hold of him - someone who refuses to work notice on the basis of 'needing some time out' probably has some issues going on (or have fucked off on a much needed holiday) and might therefore not be getting your messages. So, make every reasonable attempt to contact him and if he doesn't, you're perfectly within your rights to report him. I'm not sure the police will be that interested though, even though it's your laptop and technically theft.
(berk, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:07, 2 replies, latest was 15 years ago)

I'm torn between going "aww aren't people nice and have faith in other humans"
and thinking you guys are idiots for giving this guy the benifit of the doubt when he is obviously a thieving cuntrag
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:11, Reply)

Aye, this.
People may move but they sure as hell don't suddenly vanish from phone and email contact at the same time. The only innocent scenario is that he's dead.
(Falstaff's Spiritual Successor, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:14, Reply)

I apologise for not being as cold, dead and cynical inside as you
it could be a misunderstanding. I grant you, it probably isn't and the guy is probably avoiding calls etc on purpose in the hope he'll get away with it...but it could be a misunderstanding.
(berk, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:31, Reply)

I think you're right about the Police - I think it's unlikely they would be interested.

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:13, Reply)

You have to report it anyway though
Even if they do take the approach of "we'll get round to that right after we solve all the murders", if you don't report it now they'll be even less interested when you report it a few weeks down the line
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:20, Reply)

It's definitely worth it
on the grounds that should that laptop turn up down the line with a metric fuck-ton of kiddy porn on it, they'll have a record stating that it has been stolen from and, critically, no longer belongs to his company.

Edit: If it's metric, I suppose that'd be a fuck-tonne.
( Kroney, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:22, Reply)

*sigh*
ALWAYS it comes back to kiddy porn with you

Although in this instance that's actually a very good point
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:23, Reply)

Hm
maybe I should seek help before I end up sleeping with my sister.
( Kroney, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:28, Reply)

If that's a Norfolk jibe,
I'd like to point out that my sister lives in Nottingham

But two of the missus' four sisters live in Norfolk. Does that count?
(Darth Foxtrot A one-man army dedicated to making fetch happen, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:31, Reply)

That is an excellent point. Thanks.

(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:24, Reply)

IT Support
Not only there to stop people playing Solitaire on company time.
( Kroney, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:28, Reply)

I am the IT person here (worringly) and the first aid person, the fire marshall, the data protection officer and I do the washing up
It is typically known as running a small company and keeping headcount costs down. I think I am going to outsource all this IT stuff though - I would never have thought about the encryption software you mentioned.
(lkjshaglkasjdhglkhjz lkcvl; g;aodh;owih, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:32, Reply)

With duties like that, you will be the last out the door when redundancies come.

( Bartleby A dead man on vacation, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:37, Reply)

I think you can still call it "a metric fuck-ton"
It's only if you use it as a unit after a number "14 tonnes (fuck, for the use of)" that it needs the extra "ne" as you clarified the metric part.

*kills self*
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:32, Reply)

I claim all of badgers stuff

( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:33, Reply)

I've sold the MG.
You'd be stuck with a Skoda Octavia. DIESEL.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:35, Reply)

You must have other better stuff?
*rummages*
( TGB checking Off Topic is still shit at, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:44, Reply)

*coughs*
well there is that, obviously. But it's probably not much use to you if I'm dead.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:47, Reply)

Keep it in the species.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:35, Reply)

The other way of looking at it...
Is that it gives the police a very quick, simple theft to investigate and solve. Another much-needed 'solved' statistic that'll take a couple of hours for an officer.
(Miraclefish How appropriate, you fight like a cow, Thu 7 Oct 2010, 10:26, Reply)