Sheriff's deputies in Nebraska say a man couldn't get a stolen laptop computer to work — so he called the manufacturer's toll-free tech-support number for help.
The IBM ThinkPad was reported missing after a rural home burglary Sept. 13, but there were few leads until IBM called, reports the Lincoln Journal-Star.
It turned out someone who wasn't the registered owner had failed in booting up the machine and called IBM's customer-service line, which still handles the calls although IBM sold its personal-computer division to China's Lenovo earlier this year.
When the caller gave the machine's serial number, support personnel realized it had been stolen and notified the authorities.
On Sept. 29, deputies executing a search warrant on a Lincoln home found both the ThinkPad and a pistol that had been stolen in Omaha in 1989.
They arrested Darrell Brown, 48, on suspicion of possessing stolen property.
There really is no hope for some people...but on the plus side, tech support finally does something that benefits the general public
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